Citation

Muldoon OT, Downes C. Br. J. Psychiatry 2007; 191: 146-149.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. orla.muldoon@ul.ie.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.bp.106.022038

PMID

17666499

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Understanding of the psychological impact of politically motivated violence is poor. AIMS: To examine the prevalence of post-traumatic symptoms subsequent to the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland. METHOD: A telephone survey of 3000 adults, representative of the population in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic, examined exposure to political violence, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and national identity. RESULTS: Ten per cent of respondents had symptoms suggestive of clinical PTSD. These people were most likely to come from low-income groups, rate national identity as relatively unimportant and have higher overall experience of the 'troubles' than other respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Direct experience of violence and poverty increase the risk of PTSD, whereas strong national identification appears to reduce this risk.

Language: en