Impact of On-Site Personal Experience of Violent Death on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder of Bereaved Japanese Family Members in Forensic Autopsy Cases

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the influence of direct on-site experience of violent death on the symptoms involved in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of bereaved Japanese family members (n = 367) in forensic autopsy cases, using a questionnaire survey. Factor analyses of three core symptoms of PTSD confirmed the factor structure. In general linear modeling, the major effect of direct on-site experience of violent death on PTSD score was significant, while manner of death alone did not have such an effect. These findings suggest that direct on-site experience of violent death is essential in the clinical assessment of PTSD-related symptoms of bereaved family members.

KEYWORDS:

• Bereaved family member
• manner of death
• personal on-site experience
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• violent death

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kohske Ogata

Kohske Ogata received his PhD in Creative Cities from Osaka City University, Japan. He is currently a child psychologist at the Osaka Prefectural Government Child-Family Center and a research fellow at the Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University School of Medicine. His research interests include forensic psychology, child abuse and neglect, psychometrics, and intelligence testing.

Tomomi Michiue

Tomomi Michiue MD, received her PhD in medicine from Osaka City University Medical School, Japan. She is currently an assistant professor at the Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School and is working as a board-certified specialist of forensic/legal medicine. While her research interests cover the fields related to forensic/legal medicine, she is concerned about improving the forensic autopsy system, including the support of crime victims and their families.

Riyo Yamazoe

Riyo Yamazoe received her BhSc in psychology from Kobe College, Japan. She is working as a research associate at the Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School. Her research interests include the psychological distress of crime victims and their families to promote their mental support.

Hitoshi Maeda

Hitoshi Maeda MD, received his PhD in medicine from Wakayama Medical University, Japan. He was a professor and director of the Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School from 1990 to 2015 and is still working as a professor emeritus, as well as a board-certified specialist and supervisor of forensic/legal medicine. While his practical and research activities extensively cover the fields related to forensic/legal medicine, he is deeply concerned about improving the forensic autopsy system, including the support of crime victims and their families.