The effects of direct versus witnessed threat on emergency department healthcare workers: implications for PTSD criterion A

Abstract

We compared post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and symptom cluster profiles in hospital emergency department (ED) medical staff (N=100) who experienced an emotionally distressing work event that presented either a direct threat to themselves or a witnessed threat to patients. The two groups displayed similar levels of PTSD symptoms, however, they differed on symptom profiles and work consequences. The direct threat group experienced significantly greater fear during the event, more ongoing arousal symptoms, and more job dissatisfaction than the witnessed threat group. The witnessed threat group was more likely to appraise their PTSD symptoms as reflecting personal weakness. Overall, the results point to the need for further research to identify distinctive features of responses to different types of traumatic stressors.