• Firefighters with PTSD likely to have re

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Monday, April 04, 2022 22:30:44
    Firefighters with PTSD likely to have relationship problems
    PTSD interferes with ability to regulate emotions, causing relationship fallout

    Date:
    April 4, 2022
    Source:
    University of Houston
    Summary:
    The stress firefighters face takes a toll. New research finds
    that those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are likely to have
    relationship problems due to an inability to regulate emotions.



    FULL STORY ==========================================================================
    For firefighters, every day can be an emergency, rushing into flames and disasters as others can only hope to rush out. And make no mistake, it
    takes a toll. Exposure to such traumatic events throughout their careers
    places these first responders at heightened risk for the development
    of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and new research from the
    University of Houston First Responder Program, indicates that PTSD means trouble for their intimate relationships.


    ========================================================================== "Individuals experiencing PTSD symptoms often experience interpersonal
    problems and relationship stress, and this may be due to emotion
    regulation difficulties," reports Anka Vujanovic, associate professor
    of psychology and director of the UH First Responder Program and
    the Trauma and Stress Studies Center in the Journal of Aggression,
    Maltreatment & Trauma. "Negative alterations in cognition and mood were especially relevant to emotion regulation difficulties and relationship satisfaction." The paper's lead author is Donald A. Godfrey, a doctoral student in the lab of Julia Babcock, professor of psychology and
    co-director of the Center for Couples Therapy at UH. The study examined
    the association between PTSD symptoms, couple relationship satisfaction
    and emotion regulation difficulties among 188 firefighters who completed
    an online questionnaire.

    "To our knowledge, no prior research has examined the role of emotion regulation difficulties in the association between PTSD symptoms and relationship satisfaction," said Godfrey. "This study was the first to
    identify these associations among firefighters." Difficulty regulating
    emotion also appears to have negative effects on couple intimacy,
    as individuals who report heightened emotion regulation difficulties demonstrated heightened fear of being controlled by their partners and avoidance of closeness. Their partners reported decreased perception
    that they would be open to emotional dialogue.

    "Results indicated that PTSD symptom severity was negatively associated
    with relationship satisfaction and positively associated with emotion regulation difficulties," wrote Godfrey.

    The findings highlight the importance of understanding associations
    between PTSD and interpersonal functioning among firefighters.

    "Emotion regulation difficulties may offer a path for clinically targeting
    PTSD symptoms and relationship functioning among firefighters," said
    Babcock.


    ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Houston. Original
    written by Laurie Fickman. Note: Content may be edited for style and
    length.


    ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
    1. Donald A. Godfrey, Maya Zegel, Julia C. Babcock, Anka A. Vujanovic.

    Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Relationship Satisfaction among
    Firefighters: The Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties. Journal
    of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 2022; 1 DOI: 10.1080/
    10926771.2022.2043973 ==========================================================================

    Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220404150127.htm

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