@article{ref1,
title="Exposure to prior negative life events and responses to the Boston marathon bombings",
journal="Psychological trauma: theory, research, practice, and policy",
year="2019",
author="Garfin, Dana Rose and Holman, E. Alison and Silver, Roxane Cohen",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to explore how type and timing of prior negative life experiences (NLEs) may be linked to responses to subsequent collective trauma, such as a terrorist attack. <br><br>METHOD: Using a longitudinal design, we examined relationships between prior NLEs and responses to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings (BMB). Shortly after the BMB, a representative sample, compiled from metropolitan Boston (<i>n</i> = 846), New York (<i>n</i> = 941), and the rest of the United States (<i>n</i> = 2,888), reported BMB exposure and acute stress symptomatology. Six months later, we assessed prior NLEs, BMB-related posttraumatic stress symptoms, ongoing fear about future terrorism, and functioning. NLEs were classified by <i>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,</i> fifth edition, criteria for traumatic events and other stressful experiences and by occurrence in childhood, adulthood (pre-BMB), and recent (past 6 months). <br><br>RESULTS: Cumulative exposure to events, delineated by type and timing of occurrence, were contrasted; analyses adjusted for demographics, BMB-related exposure, and residential region. Post-BMB acute stress was associated with childhood (b = 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI: 0.14, 1.61]) and adulthood (b = 0.83, 95% CI [0.21, 1.45]) trauma exposure. Exposure to childhood, adulthood, and recent traumatic events, as well as recent stressful events, was associated with higher BMB-related posttraumatic stress (<i>p</i>s <.05). Greater exposure to adulthood (b = 0.06, 95% CI [0.01, 0.11]) and recent (b = 0.30, 95% CI [0.01, 0.58]) trauma was associated with higher fear about future terrorism. Exposure to childhood (b = 0.17, 95% CI [0.07, 0.27]) and adulthood (b = 0.15, 95% CI [0.05, 0.25]) trauma and recent stressful events (b = 0.45, 95% CI [0.24, 0.66]) was associated with poorer functioning. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Prior trauma may sensitize negative responses to collective trauma; recent stressors may exacerbate effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1942-9681",
doi="10.1037/tra0000486",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000486"
}