title: Positive psychological factors are associated with lower PTSD symptoms among police officers: post Hurricane Katrina.
abstract: Following Hurricane Katrina, police officers in the New Orleans geographic area faced a number of challenges. This cross-sectional study examined the association between resilience, satisfaction with life, gratitude, posttraumatic growth, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in 84 male and 30 female police officers from Louisiana. Protective factors were measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Gratitude Questionnaire, and the Posttraumatic Growth inventory. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder were measured using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist--Civilian (PCL-C). Potential associations were measured using linear regression and analysis of variance. Models were adjusted for age, sex, race, education, and alcohol. Mean PCL-C symptoms were 29.5 ± 14.5 for females and 27.8 ± 12.1 for males. Adjusted mean levels of PCL-C symptoms significantly decreased as quartiles of resilience (p < .001), satisfaction with life (p < .001), and gratitude (p < .001) increased. In contrast, PCL-C symptoms were not associated with posttraumatic growth in this sample. These results indicate that positive factors such as resilience, satisfaction with life, and gratitude may help mitigate symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. To further explore these relationships, longitudinal follow-up in a larger population would be of interest.
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Erin C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: McCanlies
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mnatsakanova
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: Cecil M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Burchfiel
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Violanti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055820:New Orleans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: gratitude; police; posttraumatic growth; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); resilience; satisfaction with life