The purpose of this study was to develop a manualized therapy group for wives or significant others of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and to evaluate its effectiveness in reducing wives' psychological symptoms. A second aim of the study was to determine if women's involvement in the wives group resulted in decreases in their husbands' PTSD symptoms. Women recruited for the study were administered pre-test measures during a screening session. They then participated in a 9-session manualized therapy group designed by the researcher that included psychoeducational, process, and support components. Examples of group topics included psychoeducation regarding PTSD, assertiveness and communication, intimacy, self-care, and stress management. After completing the group sessions, participants were asked to complete post-test measures. Other factors explored in this study included marital satisfaction, perceived social support, general satisfaction with the group, and demographic variables. Results indicated that wives who participated in the group treatment exhibited significant decreases in secondary stress symptoms and increases in marital satisfaction from pre-test to post-test. The majority of participants also reported high levels of satisfaction with the group process. Therefore, it appears that the group protocol presented in this study could be a useful tool in the treatment of wives of veterans with PTSD. The results of this study have potential implications regarding the clinical treatment of families of veterans with PTSD and the development of future programs within the VA system.

People who work in the rescue service as task-leading personnel/fire commanders participate in rescue operations that in one or more ways can be perceived as traumatic. Firefighters who service as task-leading personnel have an overall responsibility regarding their own personnel, the people who are affected and in need of rescue efforts as well as any media coverage and the like, all this combined with the time pressure that often exists in connection with a rescue operation are factors that contribute to increased levels of stress for people who work in the rescue service as task-leading personnel Of the 89 participants in this survey, 71% have experienced some form of stress-related symptoms in connection with a rescue operation, the most common symptoms discovered in this study are sleep problems, depression and flashbacks in various forms which are typical reactions that can occur in connection with a traumatic rescue operation. These symptoms, if not treated in the near future to the current rescue effort, lead to further deterioration of mental well-being and in the worst case scenario lead to a post-traumatic stress disorder, which often requires specialist treatment. The support offered by the respective organizations is considered by the respondents in nine cases out of ten to be wholly or partly enough. At the same time, there are clear signs that personnel in the rescue service both reflect and work actively with issues concerning mental illness, where a large number of ideas regarding possible areas for improvement were registered. This is positive and it´s extremely important for task-leading personnel to have good conditions to have the best presumptions to continue to contribute to increased security in our society. Possible areas for improvement that the participants suggest includes more extensive training on peer support activities, clearer routines on when and how these relieving conversations should be conducted and more time for rest and recovery. In order for the rescue service to have the opportunity to continue to contribute to increased security in society, it is of great importance that discussions and development work on the subject of mental illness and the management of this progress to give the people who work with operational management the right conditions to lead and coordinate efforts in an effective and successful manner.

In the Anglophone world, the Nanjing Massacre is also known as “the Rape of Nanjing,” which represents gender-based violence directly and inspires fictional writers to depict the tragedy of women. Yan Geling’s novel The Flowers of Warand Zhang Yimou’s film adapted from that novel are examples. In this thesis, through a comparison of Iris Chang’s The Rape of Nankingand two versions of The Flowers of War, I examine how Yan and Zhang apply the historical materials to portray the interaction between women and calamity. In The Rape of Nanking, Iris Chang displays “rape” from a transnational perspective. First, patriarchy rapes women. The East Asian male-dominated society exposed women to extreme danger. Society taught women to be gentle and meek, but men surrendered and fled when the war did happen. Another meaning of “rape” is that the stronger nation abuses the weaker nation. During the war, stronger countries ignored the call for help from China and forgot the Nanjing Massacre afterward. By contrast, when adapting the Nanjing Massacre into fictional works, both Yan and Zhang interpret “rape” from a single point of view and manage to find out “hope” in the war. In the novel The Flowers of War, Yan Geling details the problems with patriarchy without adequately illustrating the bigger global picture. She narrates how women use mature female organs to bring out (re)birth. Zhang Yimou, meanwhile, emphasizes the transnational context in his film. He expresses the idea that the Western religion is able to save the fallen Oriental civilization. In this thesis, I argue that in the novel The Flowers of War, Yan narrates how the inner strength of Chinese women’s bodies gets to solve the crisis of death; however, in the film version, Zhang seeks the external power – Western cultures – to cure the Chinese trauma. Nevertheless, both these two narrative strategies expose several problems: Yan represents the abjection of women, and Zhang shows the self-Orientalism tendency.

No description available.

The success of mental health counseling partially depends on the professionals who are providing these services, also on the quality of services they provide. To maximize their efficacy, counselors must achieve and maintain their own personal wellness. However, for counselors who work with people who have experienced trauma, there is an increased chance that these counselors will experience adverse effects from this work. In fact, the impact of trauma on counseling professionals is similar to actually experiencing the traumatic event themselves. Native Americans are more likely than any other racial group in the United States to experience chronic traumatization and victimization. As a result of this, Native Americans suffer disproportionate health disparities, including mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. The research question of this phenomenological study is, “What are the lived experiences of Native American counselors working in the trauma-intense environment of a Native American reservation?”. In this study, three participants took part in a semi-structured, open-ended, individual interview. Through data analysis, four themes were identified about the participants’ shared experiences: the worth and weight of working on a reservation, the impact of culture and community on counseling, four forms of trauma impacting the counselor and their work, and the effects of personal and professional wellness on counselors. The discussion of these findings are presented, along with implications for future research and policy change. In short, the goal of this study is to assist Native American counselors in maintaining their wellness, so they may continue providing counseling services to a population of people who experience significant trauma.

No description available.

Abstract BACKGROUND: The PTSD Checklist-civilian (PCL-C) is one of the most commonly used self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, however, little is known about its validity when used in pregnancy. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the PCL-C as a screen for detecting PTSD symptoms among pregnant women. METHODS: A total of 3372 pregnant women who attended their first prenatal care visit in Lima, Peru participated in the study. We assessed the reliability of the PCL-C items using Cronbach's alpha. Criterion validity and performance characteristics of PCL-C were assessed against an independent, blinded Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) interview using measures of sensitivity, specificity and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. We tested construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approaches. RESULTS: The reliability of the PCL-C was excellent (Cronbach's alpha =0.90). ROC analysis showed that a cut-off score of 26 offered optimal discriminatory power, with a sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78-0.92) and a specificity of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.62-0.65). The area under the ROC curve was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71-0.78). A three-factor solution was extracted using exploratory factor analysis and was further complemented with three other models using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In a CFA, a three-factor model based on DSM-IV symptom structure had reasonable fit statistics with comparative fit index of 0.86 and root mean square error of approximation of 0.09. CONCLUSION: The Spanish-language version of the PCL-C may be used as a screening tool for pregnant women. The PCL-C has good reliability, criterion validity and factorial validity. The optimal cut-off score obtained by maximizing the sensitivity and specificity should be considered cautiously; women who screened positive may require further investigation to confirm PTSD diagnosis. / Revisión por pares

Abstract Background There is limited research and guidelines regarding physiotherapy as a treatment approach      for post-traumatic stress (PTS). Refugee experience of physiotherapy interventions is hoped                      to contribute to awareness of the subject and to give insight into this developing field of the         profession. Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate and describe refugees experience of post-             traumatic stress physiotherapy. The study was interested in both refugee experience of          treatment itself and of possible effects. Design and Method Qualitative explorative design. The study was based on five semi-structured interviews. A        qualitative, content analysis was used to process the data. Results          The analysis showed that the refugees faced many physical and psychological barriers to         treatment, especially relating to pain and somatisation, however they were able to                    experience increased bodily comfort during treatment itself. The relationship to         physiotherapist, the psychological impact of the treatment environment and other social      factors were also described as important to experience. Physiotherapy was described as positively affecting patient outcomes both in physical and mental health, despite certain uncontrollable/unmanageable symptoms making this difficult. The refugees were able to achieve generalisation of physiotherapy into their day-to-                     day life enabling them to self-manage to some extent and feel liberated from PTS symptoms. Conclusion The study agrees with the available literature on the effectiveness of treating refugee              patients suffering from post-traumatic stress with physiotherapy, not just to improve            physical health outcomes but even to give holistic improvements.  Keywords Post-traumatic stress, refugee, physiotherapy, experiences / Abstrakt Bakgrund Det finns begränsad forskning och riktlinjer gällande fysioterapeutisk behandling mot post-traumatisk stress (PTS). Flyktingars upplevelse av fysioterapeutisk behandling förväntas sprida kunskap och bidra till insikt i denna del av det fysioterapeutiska området som fortfarande är under utveckling. Syfte Syftet av studien var att utforska och beskriva flyktingars upplevelse av posttraumatisk stress-fysioterapi. Studiens intresse var av flyktingars upplevelse och effekt av den fysioterapeutiska behandlingen. Design och Metod Studien är av kvalitativ utforskande design baserat på användandet av 5 semi-strukturerade intervjuer. En kvalitativ innehållsanalys användes för att bearbeta informationen. Resultat Analysen visade att flyktingar möter många fysiska och psykiska hinder i behandlingen, mest gällande smärta och somatisering men att de kunde uppleva en viss grad av bekvämlighet under behandlingen ändå. Förhållandet till fysioterapeuten, den psykologiska effekten av behandlingsmiljön och andra sociala faktorer var också viktiga. Fysioterapi beskrevs ge positiv påverkan i resultatet av patienternas fysiska och mentala hälsa efter behandling trots utmaning från icke-hanterbara symptom. Flyktingarna kunde uppnå generalisering av deras fysioterapi till det dagliga livet som gjorde att de kunde hantera situationen själva till en viss grad och känna frihet från sina PTS symptom. Konklusion Studiens resultat går i samma linje som den tillgängliga litteraturen på effekten av att behandla flyktingar som lider av posttraumatisk stress med fysioterapi, inte bara för att öka den fysiska hälsan utan även för att ge mer vidgående holistiska förbättringar och livskvalitet. Nyckelord Post-traumatic stress, refugee, physiotherapy, experiences

The level of crime in South Africa as reflected by crime statistics affects a high number of adolescents. Trauma and stress associated with interpersonal violence can adversely affect the neurobiology of the individual, since social, emotional and cognitive influences interact in multifaceted ways with neurobiological systems to affect every-day adaptive functioning. This study was embarked upon to determine the difference in the expression of personality between adolescents exposed to community related interpersonal violence and those not exposed to such violence. The 183 research participants were selected from a group of 335 grade 12 learners from a single secondary school in a middle class community. The participants were placed into two sample groups by means of purposive sampling as follows: Sample 1 consisted of all the research participants that reported exposure to community related interpersonal violence during the past 5 years on the self-reporting questionnaire (n = 93). The research participants that did not report exposure to such violence formed Sample 2 (n = 90). Reflecting on the adolescent’s emotional, adaptive functioning and referring to high levels of anxiety and feelings of worthlessness, certain factors of the 16PF questionnaire were predicted to show a statistical significant difference after exposure to community related interpersonal violence after a period of 3 to 5 years. To assess the differences in personality profiles of adolescents exposed to community related interpersonal violence and those not exposed to violence, a MANOVA was used in analysing 16PF results. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups on Factor G (rule consciousness), Factor I (emotional sensitivity) and Factor Q4 (anxiety). This indicated that adolescents exposed to incidents of community related interpersonal violence are inclined to experience more tension, are emotional volatile, depressed and anxious. They tend to be more sensitive to environmental stressors and are likely to give up easily. The group exposed to interpersonal violence (Sample 1) experienced higher levels of PTSD as assessed with the PSD Questionnaire than the group that was not exposed to interpersonal violence (sample 2). The personality profiles of three groups (Sample 1 with high PTSD, Sample 1 with low PTSD and Sample 2) were compared by means of a MANOVA to test whether adolescents who experience high levels of PTSD express their personality different from others. The results identify differences in the expression of personality between adolescents of Sample 1 experiencing higher levels of PTSD and the adolescents who did not experience community related interpersonal violence (sample 2) on Factors G- (Selfindulgent and disregards obligations to people), I + ( Perception might be emotionally influenced) and Q4 + (Elevated levels of anxiety). The coping style (positive or negative coping) of adolescents exposed to community related interpersonal violence was assessed using the Kidcope. This was done to examine the possible influence of coping on the development of posttraumatic stress and differences in the expression of personality. There were no correlations between positive and negative coping and the level of PTSD symptoms and the 16PF. The research could therefore not identify coping as a medicating variable in the development of PTSD and differences in the expression of personality. However, research is required to evaluate coping closer to the time of the actual event. The results of this research are a clear indication that the experience of community-related violence has serious implications for the well-being and development of the personality of adolescents. Violence-exposed adolescents may experience symptoms characteristic of PTSD, including significant difficulty regulating one’s emotions and behaviour impacting on their social, cognitive, physiological and emotional functioning. The original target group for this study was the middle class income population and suburb with relatively good security. The sample was drawn from a typical middleclass environment and adolescents from communities with less protection may present different results if sampled for similar research. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

A group of suburban/rural general and special education teachers (n = 260) responded to an electronic survey. The survey was designed to measure the prevalence of an under researched area of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among teachers working in suburban/rural public schools. The current study hypothesized that the relationship among compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, demographic variables, and teacher stress factors (time management, discipline, motivation, professional distress, and professional investment) would correlate with an increase in compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) for general and special education teachers working in suburban/rural public schools; furthermore, it predicted a positive correlation among burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. Findings indicate that both burnout and compassion fatigue have a negative impact on general education or special education teachers (Billingsley & Cross, 1992; Koenig, Rodger, & Specht, 2018; Kokkinos, 2007). The results also indicate a positive correlation between compassion fatigue and teacher burnout, which are negatively related to compassion satisfaction. Implications and future research are discussed.