title: Negative affect predicts posttraumatic stress symptoms in Brazilian volunteer United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti.
abstract: Our study evaluated the relationship between positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) traits on the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among peacekeepers. A longitudinal study with 138 army personnel deployed to a peacekeeping mission in Haiti was conducted. An instrument for measuring PA and NA traits was used before deployment. PTSS, indexed by posttraumatic stress disorder Checklist--Military Version (PCL-M) and frequency of stressful situations were measured after return. Regression analysis showed that both NA and number of stressful situations contributed toward increasing PCL-M scores (Adjusted R = 0.25; p < 0.001). We also found that NA traits interact with intensively stressful situations enhancing the occurrence of PTSS (Adjusted R = 0.32; p < 0.001). These findings suggest that NA traits are an important predictor for PTSS among peacekeepers and also worsen the consequences of being exposed to stressful situations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, National School of Public Health (ENSP-FIOCRUZ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. wanderson.souza@gmail.com
authors.forename: Wanderson F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Figueira
authors.forename: Mauro V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Mendlowicz
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Volchan
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mendonça-de-Souza
authors.forename: Antônio F A
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Monteiro da Silva
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marques-Portella
authors.forename: Jair J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: Evandro Silva Freire
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coutinho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001938:Brazil; D002605:Character; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006205:Haiti; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014480:United Nations; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult