Citation

Gibson LE, Holt JC, Fondacaro KM, Tang TS, Powell TA, Turbitt EL. J. Trauma. Stress 1999; 12(3): 473-484.

Affiliation

University of Vermont, Department of Psychology, Burlington 05405, USA. lgibson@zoo.uvm.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1023/A:1024767020280

PMID

10467556

Abstract

Despite substantially higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among male inmates than among men in the general population, there is a dearth of research on PTSD among incarcerated men. The current study addresses traumatic events that precede PTSD and psychiatric disorders that are comorbid with PTSD in an inmate sample. Seeing someone seriously injured or killed, being sexually abused, and being physically assaulted were the three most commonly reported antecedent traumas to PTSD. Lifetime and current rates of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and antisocial personality disorder were elevated among inmates with a diagnosis of PTSD. Two hundred and thirteen inmates participated in the study. Sixty-nine participants (33%) met lifetime DSM-III-R criteria for PTSD, and 45 (21%) met current criteria. The findings are compared with general population samples, and implications of the findings are discussed.

Language: en