@article{ref1,
title="Clinical and psychological implications of post-traumatic stress in firefighters: a moderated network study",
journal="Cognitive behaviour therapy",
year="2024",
author="Karnick, Aleksandr and Caulfield, Nicole M. and Buerke, Morgan and Stanley, Ian and Capron, Daniel and Vujanovic, Anka",
volume="53",
number="2",
pages="171-189",
abstract="Firefighters are frequently exposed to trauma and may experience a unique symptom presentation of post-traumatic stress. Prior research has identified stronger associations between certain post-traumatic stress symptoms (e.g. detachment, intrusions, physiological reactivity) using network analysis. However, little is known about the effects of symptom severity and emergency work-related trauma on symptom networks. The present study probed the network structure of post-traumatic stress symptoms in trauma-exposed firefighters (N = 871) to model the dynamic interactions of psychological symptoms. We developed a network of post-traumatic stress symptoms and a network of post-traumatic stress with clinical covariates and used moderated network modelling to assess the effects of having PTSD and experiencing work-related trauma on the networks. We identified high edge correlations between several nodes (e.g. startle/hypervigilance, internal/external cue avoidance, detachment/lack of interest) and high centrality of detachment, external cue avoidance, and flashbacks. Additionally, having PTSD moderated positive network associations between risk-taking and suicidality and between distorted blame and post-traumatic cognitions. Work-related trauma moderated negative associations between appetite gain and loss and appetite loss and suicidality. <br><br>FINDINGS suggest that targeting specific symptoms of detachment, external cue avoidance, and flashbacks could allow for the development of effective trauma-informed interventions for these populations.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1650-6073",
doi="10.1080/16506073.2023.2282374",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2023.2282374"
}