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Article
Posttraumatic stress disorder and psychiatric comorbidity following the 2010 flood in Pakistan: Exposure characteristics, cognitive distortions, and emotional suppression
Psychiatry (New York)
  • Man Cheung Chung, Zayed University
  • Sabeena Jalal, Dow University of Health Sciences Pakistan
  • Najib Ullah Khan, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Abstract

© 2014 Washington School of Psychiatry. This study investigated the extent of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychiatric comorbidity among the 2010 flood victims in Pakistan and its relationship with disaster exposure characteristics, cognitive distortions, and emotional suppression. One hundred and thirty-one (F = 89, iM = 42) flood victims were assessed using the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale, the General Health Questionnaire-28, the Cognitive Distortion Scales, and the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale. The results showed that all victims met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and scored above the cut-off for psychiatric caseness. Partial least squares modelling showed that disaster exposure characteristics were significantly correlated with PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity. Disaster exposure characteristics were also significantly associated with cognitive distortions which in turn were also significantly associated with PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity. Cognitive distortions were also correlated with emotional suppression which, however, was not associated with PTSD or psychiatric comorbidity. To conclude, the flood victims reported PTSD and psychiatric comorbid symptoms which were related to their subjective exposure to the flood. Such exposure led to the development of dysfunctional thinking patterns which in turn influenced distress symptoms.

Publisher
Guilford Publications
Keywords
  • adult,
  • aged,
  • Article,
  • cognitive defect,
  • Cognitive Distortion Scale,
  • comorbidity,
  • Courtauld Emotional Control Scale,
  • disaster victim,
  • emotionality,
  • environmental exposure,
  • female,
  • flooding,
  • General Health Questionnaire,
  • health impact assessment,
  • human,
  • male,
  • Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale,
  • posttraumatic stress disorder,
  • questionnaire,
  • rating scale,
  • test retest reliability,
  • Cognition Disorders,
  • comorbidity,
  • defense mechanism,
  • disaster,
  • flooding,
  • Mental Disorders,
  • Pakistan,
  • statistics and numerical data,
  • Stress Disorders,
  • Post-Traumatic,
  • Adult,
  • Cognition Disorders,
  • Comorbidity,
  • Disasters,
  • Female,
  • Floods,
  • Humans,
  • Male,
  • Mental Disorders,
  • Pakistan,
  • Repression,
  • Psychology,
  • Stress Disorders,
  • Post-Traumatic
Scopus ID
84928173101
Indexed in Scopus
Yes
Open Access
No
https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2014.77.3.289
Citation Information
Man Cheung Chung, Sabeena Jalal and Najib Ullah Khan. "Posttraumatic stress disorder and psychiatric comorbidity following the 2010 flood in Pakistan: Exposure characteristics, cognitive distortions, and emotional suppression" Psychiatry (New York) Vol. 77 Iss. 3 (2014) p. 289 - 304 ISSN: <a href="https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/issn/0033-2747" target="_blank">0033-2747</a>
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/man-chung/23/