Peritraumatic tonic immobility is associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in undergraduate Brazilian students.
Braz J Psychiatry
; 34(1): 60-5, 2012 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22392390
OBJECTIVE: Tonic immobility is a defensive reaction occurring under extreme life threats. Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reporting peritraumatic tonic immobility show the most severe symptoms and a poorer response to treatment. This study investigated the predictive value of tonic immobility for posttraumatic stress symptoms in a non-clinical sample. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-eight college students exposed to various life threatening events were selected to participate. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-C) and tonic immobility questions were used. Linear regression models were fitted to investigate the association between peritraumatic tonic immobility and PCL-C scores. Peritraumatic dissociation, peritraumatic panic reactions, negative affect, gender, type of trauma, and time since trauma were considered as confounding variables. RESULTS: We found significant association between peritraumatic tonic immobility and PTSD symptoms in a non-clinical sample exposed to various traumas, even after regression controlled for confounding variables (ß = 1.99, p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: This automatic reaction under extreme life threatening stress, although adaptive for defense, may have pathological consequences as implied by its association with PTSD symptoms.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Transtornos de Estresse Pós-Traumáticos
/
Estudantes
/
Resposta de Imobilidade Tônica
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Braz J Psychiatry
Assunto da revista:
PSIQUIATRIA
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
Brasil