Resilience mediates the relationship between social support and post-traumatic stress symptoms in police officers

Erin C. McCanlies, PhD; Ja Kook Gu, MPH; Michael E. Andrew, PhD; Cecil M. Burchfiel, PhD; John M. Violanti, PhD

doi:10.5055/jem.2017.0319

Authors

Erin C. McCanlies, PhD
Ja Kook Gu, MPH
Michael E. Andrew, PhD
Cecil M. Burchfiel, PhD
John M. Violanti, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2017.0319

Keywords:

mediation, resilience, PTSD, gratitude, satisfaction with life, police officers

Abstract

Objective: Police officers in the New Orleans geographic area faced a number of challenges following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Design: This cross-sectional study examined gratitude, resilience, and satisfaction with life as mediators in the association between social support and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in 82 male and 31 female police officers. The Gratitude Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List were used to measure gratitude, resilience, satisfaction with life, and social support, respectively. PTSD symptoms were measured using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C). Ordinary least square regression mediation analysis was used to estimate direct and indirect effects among gratitude, resilience, satisfaction with life, social support, and PTSD symptoms. All models were adjusted for age, alcohol, race, and previous military experience.

Results: Mean PCL-C symptoms were 29.1 (standard deviation [SD] = 14.4) for females and 27.9 (SD = 12.1) for males. There was no direct relationship between social support and PTSD symptoms (c9 = −0.041; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.199, 0.117) independent of the indirect effect through resilience (effect = −0.038; 95%CI = −0.099, −0.002). Neither gratitude (effect = −0.066; 95% CI = −0.203, 0.090) nor satisfaction with life (effect = −0.036, 95% CI = −0.131, 0.046) contribute to the indirect effect.

Conclusions: These results indicate that resilience mediates the relationship between social support and symptoms of PTSD. Targeting social support and resilience in officers may facilitate reduction of PTSD symptoms.

Author Biographies

Erin C. McCanlies, PhD

Epidemiologist, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia

Ja Kook Gu, MPH

Statistician, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia

Michael E. Andrew, PhD

Statistician, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia

Cecil M. Burchfiel, PhD

Epidemiologist, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia

John M. Violanti, PhD

Full Research Professor, Principle Investigator, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York

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