'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is over represented in the prisoner population and is predictive of violence and suicide. This raises issues in relation to prisoner management, as well as theoretical issues such as why there is a range of vulnerability for PTSD. The current study e...

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Main Authors: Egeressy, A., Butler, Tony, Hunter, M.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Taylor and Francis 2009
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28544
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author Egeressy, A.
Butler, Tony
Hunter, M.
author_facet Egeressy, A.
Butler, Tony
Hunter, M.
author_sort Egeressy, A.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is over represented in the prisoner population and is predictive of violence and suicide. This raises issues in relation to prisoner management, as well as theoretical issues such as why there is a range of vulnerability for PTSD. The current study examines the relationship between PTSD and personality profiles of prisoners. Method: Data from 1305 participants in the NSW survey of health in prisoners are examined to identify relationships between personality profiles derived from the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and PTSD. Participants are grouped as experiencing no trauma; with a trauma history but no PTSD; and being diagnosed with PTSD. A logistic regression modelled significant predictors of PTSD. These data indicated that women prisoners report PTSD at twice the rate of males. An increased risk for PTSD is associated with high Harm Avoidance, low Self-Directedness, high Persistence and high Self- Transcendence. Conclusions: a combination of both temperament and character traits influences the trajectory towards PTSD development. Targeted treatment of these traits is needed in addressing the problems of prisoners with PTSD and managing the associated risks of violence and suicide.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-285442017-09-13T15:51:38Z 'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners Egeressy, A. Butler, Tony Hunter, M. Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is over represented in the prisoner population and is predictive of violence and suicide. This raises issues in relation to prisoner management, as well as theoretical issues such as why there is a range of vulnerability for PTSD. The current study examines the relationship between PTSD and personality profiles of prisoners. Method: Data from 1305 participants in the NSW survey of health in prisoners are examined to identify relationships between personality profiles derived from the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and PTSD. Participants are grouped as experiencing no trauma; with a trauma history but no PTSD; and being diagnosed with PTSD. A logistic regression modelled significant predictors of PTSD. These data indicated that women prisoners report PTSD at twice the rate of males. An increased risk for PTSD is associated with high Harm Avoidance, low Self-Directedness, high Persistence and high Self- Transcendence. Conclusions: a combination of both temperament and character traits influences the trajectory towards PTSD development. Targeted treatment of these traits is needed in addressing the problems of prisoners with PTSD and managing the associated risks of violence and suicide. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28544 10.1080/17449200903343209 Taylor and Francis restricted
spellingShingle Egeressy, A.
Butler, Tony
Hunter, M.
'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners
title 'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners
title_full 'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners
title_fullStr 'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners
title_full_unstemmed 'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners
title_short 'Traumatisers or traumatised': Trauma experiences and personality characteristics of Australian prisoners
title_sort 'traumatisers or traumatised': trauma experiences and personality characteristics of australian prisoners
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28544