title: Course of posttraumatic stress symptoms over the 5 years following an industrial disaster: a structural equation modeling study.
abstract: The present study examined individual latent changes in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms over a 60-month period after an industrial disaster. Participants were recruited from survivors of a factory explosion. Participants were assessed retrospectively for peritraumatic reactions and acute stress symptoms. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were then assessed at 6, 15, and 60 months. Using structural equation modeling, the authors tested 3 hypotheses of individual latent change: stability of PTSD symptoms between 6, 15, and 60 months; change between 6 and 15 months; and change between 15 and 60 months. Only one model provided a good fit suggesting that PTSD symptoms evolved between 6 and 15 months after trauma exposure and remained stable at the individual level thereafter.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse-UPS and CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital Casselardit, Toulouse Cedex 9, France. bui.e@chu-toulouse.fr
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jehel
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Véry
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vautier
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Birmes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult