TY - JOUR
T1 - Peritraumatic reactions associated with the World Trade Center disaster
AU - Simeon, Daphne
AU - Greenberg, Jennifer
AU - Knutelska, Margaret
AU - Schmeidler, James
AU - Hollander, Eric
PY - 2003/9
Y1 - 2003/9
N2 - Objective: The World Trade Center disaster was of unprecedented magnitude and impact in U.S. history. The authors conducted a pilot survey investigating these effects. Method: A questionnaire regarding the disaster was sent to responders to an advertisement. It included demographic and disaster-exposure questions and three scales applied to "during and shortly after" the disaster. Results: Despite widely ranging exposure, scores for distress (Peritraumatic Distress Inventory), dissociation (Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire), and posttraumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale - Revised) were markedly elevated (N=75). After covariance for exposure, the distress factor of loss of control most strongly predicted both early dissociation and posttraumatic stress. Life threat specifically contributed to arousal. Dissociation did not contribute beyond distress to posttraumatic stress, with the exception of re-experiencing. Conclusions: This survey of reactions to the World Trade Center disaster revealed high levels of early symptoms and suggested similar but independent pathways toward dissociation and posttraumatic stress.
AB - Objective: The World Trade Center disaster was of unprecedented magnitude and impact in U.S. history. The authors conducted a pilot survey investigating these effects. Method: A questionnaire regarding the disaster was sent to responders to an advertisement. It included demographic and disaster-exposure questions and three scales applied to "during and shortly after" the disaster. Results: Despite widely ranging exposure, scores for distress (Peritraumatic Distress Inventory), dissociation (Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire), and posttraumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale - Revised) were markedly elevated (N=75). After covariance for exposure, the distress factor of loss of control most strongly predicted both early dissociation and posttraumatic stress. Life threat specifically contributed to arousal. Dissociation did not contribute beyond distress to posttraumatic stress, with the exception of re-experiencing. Conclusions: This survey of reactions to the World Trade Center disaster revealed high levels of early symptoms and suggested similar but independent pathways toward dissociation and posttraumatic stress.
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U2 - 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.9.1702
DO - 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.9.1702
M3 - Review article
C2 - 12944351
AN - SCOPUS:0642374517
SN - 0002-953X
VL - 160
SP - 1702
EP - 1705
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 9
ER -