33). In brief, "All existentialists… affirm the ontological priority of the human being "(Allers, 1961, p
An existential Approach The reality of trauma and shock as a result of exposure to violence and warfare is not new. As Foa and Meadows (1997) state, " the concept of trauma-related emotional disturbance has existed for over a century, having names such as shell shock, war neurosis, and rape trauma syndrome" (Foa & Meadows, 1997
This involves a number of therapeutic strategies that form an integrated part of the healing process. These include the following aspects; listening to the history of the patient; focusing on emotions; symptoms and actions; explaining the reasons for symptoms; teaching coping skills and helping with self-change "(Roysircar, 2004, p
As one study on this topic states: "Traumatic Stressors challenge one's paradigm of the self and/or world. Maimed or shattered paradigms create a state of psychological crisis until new paradigms can be adopted, for these paradigms are the basis of our psychological stability" (Vandervoort and Rokach, 2003
45 caliber pistol which he had brought home from Vietnam and kept in a cedar chest, along with his high school yearbook, his medals from Vietnam, including three Purple Heart awards and photos of his buddies killed in action. (Wilson & Thomas, 2004, p
This has increased the awareness and the formalization of the disorder. "…as a formal disorder, critical issues such as predictors of failure to recover from a trauma and the development and evaluation of effective treatments have just begun to be addressed in research using rigorous methodology" (Foa & Meadows, 1997, p
Another area of concern that emerges from the literature is that there is a relative paucity of research and data on this serious issue. As one study notes, "Studies of police officers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are relatively rare" (Green, 2004, p
449). A basic definition of PTSD is a "… mental health issue among many different cross-sections of society" (Martz, Birks & Blackwell, 2005, p
She emphasizes that all officers experience at least a few crucial traumatic incidents in the course of their careers. However, while for some these incidents have a minimal effect on their daily routine, for others "…the stress of these events becomes debilitating and intervention is necessary" (Sanford, 2003, p
.the "existence of a series of mutually reinforcing excitatory states beginning with multiple combat experiences and the recurring exciting recall of such experiences" (Solursh, 1989, p
It is argued here that police officers with long-term exposure to trauma may, like the soldier, experience the after-effects of trauma long after separation from the war. For some, symptomatology may be full-blown, for others, a residual condition may exist (Violanti, 1997, para
Background: Overview of PTSD In order to provide a comprehensive response to the central thesis of the present study it is essential to firstly establish the definition and meaning of post traumatic stress disorder in both a diagnostic as well as experiential sense. PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder has become an accepted medical condition since its inclusion as a diagnostic category in the third edition (1980) of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (Williams and Sommer, 1994, p
For example, as one study states; Some occupational groups are at increased risk of developing mental health problems due to the nature of their work, which can sometimes be extremely traumatic. Studies have shown that there is a high prevalence of PTSD and other psychiatric impairments in firefighters and police officers & #8230; (Ziegenbein and Kropp, 2012, para
Hence, it calls for early intervention (AACAP, PTSD, Lubit). Diagnosis and Treatment Diagnosis The DSM-5 criteria set for PTSD in children older than 6 and those younger than 6 are similar (Lubit, 2014)
But social workers are as human as anybody else. Their task as frontline professionals to assist victims of violence and disasters cope with their traumas exposes them to the same traumas as their victims (Nauert, 2007; University of Chicago, 2007)
58). The basis for a constant comparative approach is typically field notes gathered from direct observation and the personal narratives of the research participants, as provided through conversations and informal interviews (Dye, et al
The process is iterative such that the data collection and data analysis processes are continuously refined and, in this way, continuously inform the coding of categories. "As events are constantly compared with previous eventsnew relationships, may be discovered" (Goetz & LeCompte, p
When reviewing the prevalence of PTSD in various populations, consideration of the definition and parameters of prevalence is warranted. Prevalence is a number that represents the proportion of people in a population with a particular condition or disorder at a particular time (Gradus, 2014)
Early interventions serve as a component of the PTSD programs developed by public health organizations and Veteran's Associations ("PTSD Treatment Options," 2014). A substantive body of evidence supports the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for PTSD (Grohol, 2013; "PTSD Treatment Options," 2014)
A case in point is seen with the use of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD), which is administered in compulsory groups; the use of CISD has been found to be ineffective for the prevention of PTSD following trauma exposure ("PTSD Treatment Options," 2014). Substantial barriers to treatment of psychological distress in combat personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have been shown in other studies, as well (Hogue, et al