title: Influence of personal and environmental factors on mental health in a sample of Austrian survivors of World War II with regard to PTSD: is it resilience?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  War-related traumata in childhood and young-adulthood may have long-lasting negative effects on mental health. The focus of recent research has shifted to examine positive adaption despite traumatic experiences, i.e. resilience. We investigated personal and environmental factors associated with resilience in a sample of elderly Austrians (N = 293) who reported traumatic experiences in early life during World War II and subsequent occupation (1945-1955).
  
  
  METHODS
  After reviewing different concepts of resilience, we analysed our data in a 3-phased approach: Following previous research approaches, we first investigated correlates of PTSD and non-PTSD. Secondly, we compared a PTSD positive sample (sub-threshold and full PTSD, n = 42) with a matched control sample regarding correlates of resilience and psychometrically assessed resilience (CD-RISC). Thirdly, we examined factors of resilience, discriminating between psychologically healthy participants who were exposed to a specific environmental stressor (having lived in the Soviet zone of occupation during 1945-1955) from those who were not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A smaller number of life-time traumata (OR = 0.73) and a medium level of education (OR = 2.46) were associated with better outcome. Matched PTSD and non-PTSD participants differed in psychometrically assessed resilience mainly in aspects that were directly related to symptoms of PTSD. Psychologically healthy participants with an environmental stressor in the past were characterized by a challenge-oriented and humorous attitude towards stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show no clear picture of factors constituting resilience. Instead, most aspects of resilience rather appeared to be concomitants or consequences of PTSD and non-PTSD. However, special attention should be placed on a challenge-oriented and humorous attitude towards stress in future definitions of resilience.
authors: Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna, A-1010, Austria.
authors: Ulrich S
authors: US
authors: Tran
authors: Tobias M
authors: TM
authors: Glück
authors: Brigitte
authors: B
authors: Lueger-Schuster
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D047789:World War II
references: J Trauma Stress. 1999 Jan;12(1):155-65
references: 10027149
references: J Clin Psychol. 2012 Jun;68(6):699-713
references: 22517497
references: Z Psychosom Med Psychother. 2007;53(3):228-43
references: 17883931
references: Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2012;3:
references: 22893846
references: J Trauma Stress. 2007 Dec;20(6):1019-28
references: 18157881
references: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009 Dec;17(12):1030-9
references: 20104060
references: J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;67 Suppl 2:46-9
references: 16602815
references: J Trauma Stress. 2008 Apr;21(2):165-72
references: 18404636
references: Am J Psychiatry. 1997 Aug;154(8):1114-9
references: 9247398
references: J Consult Clin Psychol. 2007 Oct;75(5):671-82
references: 17907849
references: Depress Anxiety. 2003;18(2):76-82
references: 12964174
references: Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2006 Mar;52(2):91-100
references: 16615242
references: Aging Ment Health. 2001 May;5(2):165-74
references: 11511064
references: J Clin Psychiatry. 2010 Jul;71(7):823-30
references: 20584523
references: J Clin Psychiatry. 2008 May;69(5):693-700
references: 18452344
references: Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 2005 Aug;55(8):365-9
references: 16049872
references: J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2009 Mar;16(2):137-45
references: 19281544
references: Int Psychogeriatr. 2009 Aug;21(4):748-53
references: 19426574
references: Trauma Violence Abuse. 2005 Jul;6(3):195-216
references: 16237155
references: Child Abuse Negl. 2007 Mar;31(3):205-9
references: 17408738
references: Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2011 Feb 04;9:8
references: 21294858
references: J Trauma Stress. 2003 Oct;16(5):487-94
references: 14584633
references: JAMA. 1993 May 12;269(18):2386-91
references: 8479064
references: J Consult Clin Psychol. 2011 Feb;79(1):22-33
references: 21261431
references: Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2005 Jan;20(1):43-8
references: 15602116
references: Int Psychogeriatr. 2010 Jun;22(4):661-70
references: 20353625
references: Psychol Assess. 2000 Jun;12(2):210-24
references: 10887767
references: J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Jul;72(7):929-35
references: 21824455
references: Behav Res Ther. 2006 Apr;44(4):585-99
references: 15998508
references: J Psychiatr Res. 2008 Dec;43(2):148-54
references: 18455190
references: J Pers Soc Psychol. 2004 Feb;86(2):320-33
references: 14769087
references: J Consult Clin Psychol. 2000 Oct;68(5):748-66
references: 11068961
references: Aging Ment Health. 2001 May;5(2):175-82
references: 11511065
references: Am Psychol. 2004 Jan;59(1):20-8
references: 14736317
references: CNS Spectr. 2006 Oct;11(10 Suppl 12):5-12
references: 17008825
references: Nervenarzt. 2008 Jan;79(1):73-9
references: 17962915
references: Aging Ment Health. 2001 May;5(2):183-90
references: 11511066
references: Child Abuse Negl. 2007 Mar;31(3):255-74
references: 17386940
references: J Trauma Stress. 2004 Aug;17(4):345-51
references: 15462543
references: Psychol Sci. 2006 Mar;17(3):181-6
references: 16507055
references: Child Abuse Negl. 2007 Mar;31(3):211-29
references: 17399786
references: Psychiatr Prax. 2012 May;39(4):169-73
references: 22562698
references: Int Psychogeriatr. 2007 Oct;19(5):955-61
references: 17069665
references: Psychol Bull. 2003 Jan;129(1):52-73
references: 12555794
references: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997 Apr;54(4):337-43
references: 9107150
references: J Clin Psychol. 2006 Aug;62(8):971-85
references: 16700017
references: Psychol Aging. 1994 Mar;9(1):27-33
references: 8185865