Premium
Satisfaction With the Initial Police Response and Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Victims of Domestic Burglary
Author(s) -
Kunst M. J. J.,
Rutten S.,
Knijf E.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.21774
Subject(s) - distress , posttraumatic stress , psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , anxiety disorder , injury prevention , poison control , medicine , anxiety , medical emergency
The current study used a prospective design to investigate the association between early symptoms, satisfaction with the initial police response, and development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in victims of domestic burglary ( n = 95). Early symptoms and satisfaction with the initial police response were assessed through telephone interviews conducted within the first month after the burglary and PTSD symptoms 4 to 6 weeks after baseline. Separate regression models were tested for satisfaction with performance and satisfaction with procedure. Results suggested that early symptoms were a risk factor for PTSD symptomatology (β = .50, p < .001 and β = .48, p < .001) above and beyond levels of peritraumatic distress (β = .21, p < .05 and β = .22, p < .05) and irrespective of level of satisfaction (β = −.02, n s and β = −.10, n s). Victims with high levels of early symptoms, however, were clearly at an increased risk of PTSD symptomatology if they scored low on satisfaction at baseline. Results were discussed in light of the framework of therapeutic jurisprudence.