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Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in cross-cultural mission assignments.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Schaefer, FC; Blazer, DG; Carr, KF; Connor, KM; Burchett, B; Schaefer, CA; Davidson, JRT
Published in: J Trauma Stress
August 2007

In addition to cross-cultural and environmental stressors, aid workers and missionaries are frequently exposed to trauma. We explored the frequency of traumatic events, their mental health impact, and factors associated with posttraumatic stress in two groups of missionaries, one representing a predominantly stable setting (Europe) and the other an unstable setting (West Africa). The 256 participants completed self-report measures assessing lifetime traumatic events, current posttraumatic stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, resilience, and functioning. The rate of traumatic events was significantly higher in the unstable setting. More-frequent traumatic events were associated with higher posttraumatic stress. Factors associated with the severity of posttraumatic stress were depression, functional impairment, subjective severity and number of traumatic events, and the level of resilience.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Trauma Stress

DOI

ISSN

0894-9867

Publication Date

August 2007

Volume

20

Issue

4

Start / End Page

529 / 539

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Social Environment
  • Religious Missions
  • Psychiatry
  • Personality Inventory
  • Occupational Diseases
  • Missionaries
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Life Change Events
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Schaefer, F. C., Blazer, D. G., Carr, K. F., Connor, K. M., Burchett, B., Schaefer, C. A., & Davidson, J. R. T. (2007). Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in cross-cultural mission assignments. J Trauma Stress, 20(4), 529–539. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20240
Schaefer, Frauke C., Dan G. Blazer, Karen F. Carr, Kathryn M. Connor, Bruce Burchett, Charles A. Schaefer, and Jonathan R. T. Davidson. “Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in cross-cultural mission assignments.J Trauma Stress 20, no. 4 (August 2007): 529–39. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20240.
Schaefer FC, Blazer DG, Carr KF, Connor KM, Burchett B, Schaefer CA, et al. Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in cross-cultural mission assignments. J Trauma Stress. 2007 Aug;20(4):529–39.
Schaefer, Frauke C., et al. “Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in cross-cultural mission assignments.J Trauma Stress, vol. 20, no. 4, Aug. 2007, pp. 529–39. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/jts.20240.
Schaefer FC, Blazer DG, Carr KF, Connor KM, Burchett B, Schaefer CA, Davidson JRT. Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in cross-cultural mission assignments. J Trauma Stress. 2007 Aug;20(4):529–539.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Trauma Stress

DOI

ISSN

0894-9867

Publication Date

August 2007

Volume

20

Issue

4

Start / End Page

529 / 539

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Social Environment
  • Religious Missions
  • Psychiatry
  • Personality Inventory
  • Occupational Diseases
  • Missionaries
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Life Change Events