Perspectives of survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing with and without PTSD 17 months postdisaster: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT

This study compared perspectives of highly trauma-exposed Oklahoma City bombing survivors (N = 141) with and without PTSD. Survivors’ responses to questions about the effects of the bombing on their perspectives were hand-recorded and transcribed, six themes identified, and interrater reliability established. Both diagnostic groups (with and without PTSD) expressed greater appreciation for life, greater concern with human vulnerability and mortality, and positive changes in religion/spirituality as consequences of the bombing. Survivors with PTSD also expressed negative religious/spiritual changes and substantive gains in self-confidence. Results indicate that disaster survivors may experience profound changes in their perspectives with ramifications for their mental health.

KEYWORDS:

• Disaster
• terrorism
• religion and spirituality
• PTSD
• qualitative methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health [MH40025].