Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth in Rescue Workers

Banu Yýlmaz, Nesrin Hisli Þahin
2007; 22(59):119-137

[Turkish Summary]        [Turkish PDF]    [English PDF]    [Mail to Author]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of trauma in rescue workers. With this purpose, certain variables such as emotions, general symptoms, ways of coping and basic assumptions were investigated. The results of the study have shown that, in rescue workers, education, marital status, and previous trauma were the variables affecting posttraumatic stress symptoms, and previous trauma was the only variable affecting posttraumatic growth. The predictor variables of posttraumatic stress symptoms were found to be the previous trauma, marital status, number of rescue work, basic assumptions, coping styles, and growth. The predictor variables of growth were found to be the previous trauma, the level of education, frequency of rescue work, positive feelings related to the job, basic assumptions, and general symptoms.

Keywords: Rescue worker, vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, posttraumatic growth