Posttraumatic stress disorder and psychiatric comorbidity following the 2010 flood in Pakistan: Exposure characteristics, cognitive distortions, and emotional suppression

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Psychiatry (New York)

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Abstract

© 2014 Washington School of Psychiatry. This study investigated the extent of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychiatric comorbidity among the 2010 flood victims in Pakistan and its relationship with disaster exposure characteristics, cognitive distortions, and emotional suppression. One hundred and thirty-one (F = 89, iM = 42) flood victims were assessed using the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale, the General Health Questionnaire-28, the Cognitive Distortion Scales, and the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale. The results showed that all victims met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and scored above the cut-off for psychiatric caseness. Partial least squares modelling showed that disaster exposure characteristics were significantly correlated with PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity. Disaster exposure characteristics were also significantly associated with cognitive distortions which in turn were also significantly associated with PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity. Cognitive distortions were also correlated with emotional suppression which, however, was not associated with PTSD or psychiatric comorbidity. To conclude, the flood victims reported PTSD and psychiatric comorbid symptoms which were related to their subjective exposure to the flood. Such exposure led to the development of dysfunctional thinking patterns which in turn influenced distress symptoms.

ISSN

0033-2747

Publisher

Guilford Publications

Volume

77

Issue

3

First Page

289

Last Page

304

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

adult, aged, Article, cognitive defect, Cognitive Distortion Scale, comorbidity, Courtauld Emotional Control Scale, disaster victim, emotionality, environmental exposure, female, flooding, General Health Questionnaire, health impact assessment, human, male, Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, posttraumatic stress disorder, questionnaire, rating scale, test retest reliability, Cognition Disorders, comorbidity, defense mechanism, disaster, flooding, Mental Disorders, Pakistan, statistics and numerical data, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Adult, Cognition Disorders, Comorbidity, Disasters, Female, Floods, Humans, Male, Mental Disorders, Pakistan, Repression, Psychology, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Scopus ID

84928173101

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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