PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, COPING STRATEGIES AND SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AMONG RESCUE WORKERS IN PAKISTAN
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Abstract
Because they rescue and assist victims of violent crimes, natural catastrophes, accidents, and terrorist attacks, rescue professionals go through a lot of stress. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may develop as a result of excessive exposure to and inadequate coping mechanisms for such stressful situations. The present study was accomplished to explore the association between perceived stress and symptoms of PTSD and mediation role of coping strategies among rescue workers in Pakistan. After the literature review following hypotheses for this study were formulated: 1) Perceived social support would be a significant predictor of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among rescuers workers. 2) Coping Strategies would mediate the relationship between perceived stress and symptoms of post traumatic disorder among rescuers workers. A total number of 317 male rescue workers with the age range of 18 to 40 were recruited from Rescue 1122 from different cities of Punjab, Pakistan. The participants were assessed through following measures, Demographic Form, Post-traumatic stress disorder checklist, perceived social support scales and coping strategies scale. The Regression and Mediation analysis results showed that Coping Strategies mediate the relationship between perceived stress and symptoms of post traumatic disorder among rescuers workers. Perceived social support came out as a significant predictor of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among rescuers workers.
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