Psychological Responses of Surviving Spouses of Public Safety Officers Killed Accidentally or Feloniously in the Line of Duty

• NCJ Number: 102838
• Author(s): F A Stillman
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 160 pages
• Grant Number(s): 85-IJ-CX-0012
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Dissertation/Thesis
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Johns Hopkins University - doctoral dissertation

Annotation

The effect of the type of death (accidental or felonious) and suddeness of death (instantaneous, sudden, or extended) on the level of psychological distress experienced by survivors was assessed in 126 spouses of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the United States from November 1982 through February 1985.

Abstract

Respondents completed a mail questionnaire consisting of the Derogatis Symptom inventory, the Reaction Index, and the Affect Balance Scale. The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PSD) in respondents was found to be consistent with prevalence rates found in victims of rape or physical assault, prisoners of war, and hostages. Chi-square analysis showed no significant difference in the prevalence of PSD in spouses of officers killed accidentally or feloniously. Factorial analyses of variance also failed to distinguish between the two survivor groups. Suddenness of death showed no significant effects alone or in interaction with type of death. Results suggest that more than 50 percent of surviving spouses of law enforcement officers will meet established criteria for PSD after the spouse's accidental or felonious death. Accidental and homicidal deaths need to be considered as a cause of traumatic bereavement capable of producing intense psychological sequelae even 2 years after the death. Appendixes contain research instruments and supplemental data. 25 tables and 104 references. (Author abstract modified)