Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth Among Italian Survivors of Emergency Situations

Abstract

We investigated the relation between posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress symptoms among survivors of fires, earthquakes, and floods. Furthermore, we explored the contribution of several predictors to these outcomes. Participants were 173 survivors of several events that have occurred in Italy in the last decade. Posttraumatic growth was positively related to posttraumatic avoidance and intrusion-hyperarousal symptoms. Multiple regression analyses revealed that peritraumatic panic was a predictor of posttraumatic intrusion-hyperarousal symptoms and posttraumatic growth. Moreover, posttraumatic intrusion-hyperarousal symptoms mediate the relationship between peritraumatic panic symptoms and posttraumatic growth. These results contribute to a better understanding of the role of intrusive thoughts in promoting posttraumatic growth.

Keywords:

• emergency situations
• posttraumatic growth
• posttraumatic stress
• risk factors
• trauma

Acknowledgments

This article was written by the authors on behalf of the BeSeCu Research Group. The project BeSeCu (Behaviour, Security and Culture; contract 218324) is funded under the European Union Framework 7 Security initiative. The authors acknowledge the cooperation of their project partners in undertaking this work and in allowing the project findings to be published: Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Department of Health and Prevention, Germany (project coordinator); University of Greenwich, FSEG, United Kingdom; Institute of Public Security of Catalunya, Spain; Hamburg Fire and Emergency Service Academy, Germany; MTO Psykologi, Sweden; Prague Psychiatric Centre, Czech Republic; Main School of Fire Service, Poland; Association of Emergency Ambulance Physicians, Turkey; and University of Bologna, Italy.

This research was also supported by grants from the University and Research Commission within the Catalan Government, Department of Innovation, University and Business, and from the European Social Fund.

Notes

Note. A point-biserial correlation coefficient (r _pb ) was computed for correlations between two binary variables and between a binary variable and an interval variable. A Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was computed for correlations between two interval variables.

^a Gender (female = 1, male = 0).

^b Logarithm of age.

^c Religious affiliation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^d Annual net income (≥€11,864 = 1, <€11,864 = 0).

^e Natural accident (yes = 1, no = 0).

^f Prior experience of emergency situation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^g Time since emergency situation (days since the event), square root transformed.

^h Peritraumatic panic symptoms (number of symptoms), square root transformed.

ⁱ Posttraumatic growth, square root transformed.

^j Posttraumatic intrusion-hyperarousal symptoms, square root transformed.

^k Posttraumatic avoidance symptoms.

*p < .05; **p < .01.

Note. Step 1: R ² = .112**, adjusted R ² = .089**; Step 2: R ² = .220***, adjusted R ² = .184***; Step 3: R ² = .374***, adjusted R ² = .332***.

^a Gender (female = 1, male = 0).

^b Logarithm of age.

^c Annual net income (≥€11,864 = 1, <€11,864 = 0).

^d Religious affiliation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^e Natural accident (yes = 1, no = 0).

^f Prior experience of emergency situation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^g Time since emergency situation (days since the event), square root transformed.

^h Peritraumatic panic symptoms (number of symptoms), square root transformed.

ⁱ Posttraumatic avoidance symptoms.

^j Posttraumatic intrusion-hyperarousal symptoms, square root transformed.

*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Note. Step 1: R ² = .066*, adjusted R ² = .042*; Step 2: R ² = .092*, adjusted R ² = .050*; Step 3: R ² = .459***, adjusted R ² = .426***.

^a Gender (female = 1, male = 0).

^b Logarithm of age.

^c Annual net income (≥€11,864 = 1, <€11,864 = 0).

^d Religious affiliation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^e Natural accident (yes = 1, no = 0).

^f Prior experience of emergency situation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^g Time since emergency situation (days since the event), square root transformed.

^h Peritraumatic panic symptoms (number of symptoms), square root transformed.

ⁱ Posttraumatic intrusion-hyperarousal symptoms, square root transformed.

*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Note. Step 1: R ² = .067*, adjusted R ² = .043*; Step 2: R ² = .130**, adjusted R ² = .090**; Step 3: R ² = .532***, adjusted R ² = .504***.

^a Gender (female = 1, male = 0).

^b Logarithm of age.

^c Annual net income (≥€11,864 = 1, <€11,864 = 0).

^d Religious affiliation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^e Natural accident (yes = 1, no = 0).

^f Prior experience of emergency situation (yes = 1, no = 0).

^g Time since emergency situation (days since the event), square root transformed.

^h Peritraumatic panic symptoms (number of symptoms), square root transformed.

ⁱ Posttraumatic avoidance symptoms.

*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elisa Saccinto

Elisa Saccinto is a PhD student in the Department of Psychology, Ramon Llull University and in the Department of Education, University of Bologna. She investigates posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth processes.

Gabriele Prati

Gabriele Prati works as a social psychologist at the University of Bologna. His research focuses on resilience and posttraumatic growth.

Luca Pietrantoni

Luca Pietrantoni is an associate professor at the University of Bologna. He is an expert in psychological processes associated with traumatic events.

Carles Pérez-Testor

Carles Pérez-Testor is a professor of psychopathology and family and couple therapy at Ramon Llull University and director of the Vidal-Barraquer University Institute of Mental Health. His research topics are trauma and family violence.