TY - JOUR
T1 - Patterns of Appraisal and Coping Across Different Stressor Conditions Among Former Prisoners of War With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
AU - Fairbank, John A.
AU - Hansen, David J.
AU - Fitterling, James M.
PY - 1991/4
Y1 - 1991/4
N2 - Little is known about how survivors of extreme events cope with traumatic memories and subsequent negative life experiences. The present study compared (a) repatriated prisoners of war (RPWs) from World War II (WW II) with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (b) RPWs without PTSD, and (c) noncombat veterans on measures of general psychological functioning, appraisal, and coping. Appraisal and coping were assessed under 2 stressor conditions: memories of war/captivity and recent negative life events. RPWs with PTSD reported poorer general psychological functioning; significantly less control over memories of WW II; and more frequent use of self-isolation, wishful thinking, self-blame, and social support in an effort to cope with these memories than did the 2 comparison groups. Fewer between-groups differences were found for the recent stressor condition. Findings are discussed in terms of factors that may explain the perseverance of coping difficulties associated with PTSD.
AB - Little is known about how survivors of extreme events cope with traumatic memories and subsequent negative life experiences. The present study compared (a) repatriated prisoners of war (RPWs) from World War II (WW II) with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (b) RPWs without PTSD, and (c) noncombat veterans on measures of general psychological functioning, appraisal, and coping. Appraisal and coping were assessed under 2 stressor conditions: memories of war/captivity and recent negative life events. RPWs with PTSD reported poorer general psychological functioning; significantly less control over memories of WW II; and more frequent use of self-isolation, wishful thinking, self-blame, and social support in an effort to cope with these memories than did the 2 comparison groups. Fewer between-groups differences were found for the recent stressor condition. Findings are discussed in terms of factors that may explain the perseverance of coping difficulties associated with PTSD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025738563&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025738563&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/0022-006X.59.2.274
DO - 10.1037/0022-006X.59.2.274
M3 - Article
C2 - 2030188
AN - SCOPUS:0025738563
SN - 0022-006X
VL - 59
SP - 274
EP - 281
JO - Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
JF - Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
IS - 2
ER -