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The relationship between post-traumatic stress symptoms severity, coping style, perceived social support, extent of service experience, age, and gender within the Western Cape police service

Thesis (MA) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The effects that a traumatic event can have on an individual and the high crime rate in
South Africa (SA) were grounds for this two-phase study investigating Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity within the South African Police Service
(SAPS). Two aims of the study were to investigate the relationship of six variables with
the outcome variable (PTSD symptom severity) and to construct a regression model that
could be used to predict levels ofPTSD symptom severity amongst SAPS members. A
third aim was to construct a current list of duty-related stressors that SAPS members face.
Phase one comprised 19 officers compiling a duty-related stress list that would form the
basis of the stressor questionnaire in phase two. Phase two comprised 97 officers in 12
stations in the West Metropol completing a battery of questionnaires, including the PTSD
Symptom Scale: Self-Report Version (Foa, Riggs, Dancu, & Rothbaum, 1993), the Ways
of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988), the Multidimensional Scale of
Perceived Social Support (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988), an extent of service
experience questionnaire, and the duty-related stress list. The results from the regression
model showed perceived social support to have significant beneficial effects on PTSD
symptom severity as did emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping was found to
exacerbate PTSD symptom severity. Regression model 1 and regression model 2 were
found to not significantly predict the outcome variable and the model of best fit was
suggested. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitwerking wat 'n traumatiese gebeurtenis op 'n individu kan he en die hoe
misdaadsyfer in Suid-Afrika (SA) was die beweegredes agter 'n tweefasige studie na die
ernstigheid van die simptome van posttraumatiese stresversteuring (PTSV) in die Suid-
Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD). Die doel van die studie was om die verwantskap van ses
veranderlikes met die uitkomsveranderlike te ondersoek en om 'n regressiemodel te skep
wat gebruik kan word om die vlak van ernstigheid van PTSV-simptome by SAPD-Iede te
voorspel. 'n Derde doel was om 'n bygewerkte lys van die werksverwante stressors wat
SAPD-Iede in die gesig staar, saam te stel. In fase een het 19 polisiebeamptes 'n
werksverwante streslys saamgestel wat as grondslag vir die stressorvraelys van fase twee
gedien het. Fase twee het die voltooiing van 'n reeks vraelyste deur 97 beamptes van 12
stasies in die Wes-Metropool behels. Vraelyste het die volgende ingesluit: die PTSVsirnptoomskaal:
self-aanmeldingsweergawe (Foa, Riggs, Daneu & Rothbaum, 1993), die
maniere-van-hantering-vraelys (Folkman & Lazarus, 1998), die multidimensionele skaal
van waargenome sosiale ondersteuning (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet & Farley, 1998), 'n
vraelys oor die mate van dienservaring, en die stresvraelys. Die uitslae van die
regressiemodel het getoon dat waargenome sosiale ondersteuning, asook
emosioneelgefokusde hantering, 'n betekenisvolle voordelige uitwerking op die
ernstigheid van PTSV -sirnptome het. Daar is gevind dat probleemgefokusde hantering
die ernstigheid van PTSV-simptome vererger. Regressiemodel 1 en die gewysigde
regressiemodel 2 het nie die uitkomsveranderlike betekenisvol voorspel nie en die model
wat die meeste van pas was, is aanbeveel.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50179
Date12 1900
CreatorsJones, Russell
ContributorsKagee, S. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format125 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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