Does pre-event lack of emotional support increase the risk of post-event PTSD, anxiety, depression symptoms and lack of support?: A comparative population-based study among victims of threat and violence

P.G. van der Velden; C. Contino; M. Marchand; M. Das; H.A.W. Schut

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102269

Does pre-event lack of emotional support increase the risk of post-event PTSD, anxiety, depression symptoms and lack of support? A comparative population-based study among victims of threat and violence

P.G. van der Velden^*, C. Contino, M. Marchand, M. Das, H.A.W. Schut

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Our knowledge about the effects of perceived emotional support on PTSD, anxiety and depressive symptoms after serious threat and violence is primarily based on post-event studies. Very little is known about the extent to which (1) victims lacking pre-event emotional support are more at risk of post-event symptoms and lack of post-event support than victims with pre-event emotional support, and (2) victims with pre-event emotional support and victims lacking emotional support are more at risk of post-event anxiety and depressive symptoms than nonvictims with similar pre-event support levels. For this purpose, we conducted a 2-wave prospective study (VICTIMS) using the Dutch population-based longitudinal LISS panel. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for pre-event demographics, symptoms, and physical, work-related and financial problems. As hypothesized, victims (N^{victims total} = 187) lacking pre-event support more often had high post-event PTSD, anxiety and depressive symptoms than victims with pre-event support. No significant differences were found between victims and nonvictims with pre-event emotional support (N^{nonvictims total} = 2,828, not exposed to any event). Since victims and nonvictims with pre-event support did not differ in post-event symptoms and support, the findings offer strong evidence for the buffering hypothesis of emotional support.

Original language	English
Article number	102269
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Volume	75
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102269
Publication status	Published - Oct 2020

Funding

We extracted data from two waves of the longitudinal research project entitled Victims in Modern Society (VICTIMS), which started in 2018. VICTIMS uses the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel for data collection. This panel is administered by CentERdata (The Netherlands; Scherpenzeel & Das, 2011 ) and funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). It is based on a large traditional probability sample drawn from the Dutch population register by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Panel members receive an incentive of €15 per hour for their participation and those who do not have a computer and/or internet access are provided with the necessary equipment at home ( Scherpenzeel & Das, 2011 ). In compliance with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), participants gave explicit consent for the use of the collected data for scientific and policy-relevant research (further information, see https://www.lissdata.nl ). This work was supported by Fonds Slachtofferhulp, The Haque, The Netherlands ( 50006/VICTIMS ). One of the authors (CC) is deputy director at Fonds Slachtofferhulp.

Keywords

Anxiety
Depression
Lack of emotional support
PTSD
Threat
Violence

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102269

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Cite this

van der Velden, P. G., Contino, C., Marchand, M., Das, M., & Schut, H. A. W. (2020). Does pre-event lack of emotional support increase the risk of post-event PTSD, anxiety, depression symptoms and lack of support? A comparative population-based study among victims of threat and violence. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 75, Article 102269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102269

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abstract = "Our knowledge about the effects of perceived emotional support on PTSD, anxiety and depressive symptoms after serious threat and violence is primarily based on post-event studies. Very little is known about the extent to which (1) victims lacking pre-event emotional support are more at risk of post-event symptoms and lack of post-event support than victims with pre-event emotional support, and (2) victims with pre-event emotional support and victims lacking emotional support are more at risk of post-event anxiety and depressive symptoms than nonvictims with similar pre-event support levels. For this purpose, we conducted a 2-wave prospective study (VICTIMS) using the Dutch population-based longitudinal LISS panel. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for pre-event demographics, symptoms, and physical, work-related and financial problems. As hypothesized, victims (Nvictims total = 187) lacking pre-event support more often had high post-event PTSD, anxiety and depressive symptoms than victims with pre-event support. No significant differences were found between victims and nonvictims with pre-event emotional support (Nnonvictims total = 2,828, not exposed to any event). Since victims and nonvictims with pre-event support did not differ in post-event symptoms and support, the findings offer strong evidence for the buffering hypothesis of emotional support.",

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Does pre-event lack of emotional support increase the risk of post-event PTSD, anxiety, depression symptoms and lack of support? A comparative population-based study among victims of threat and violence. / van der Velden, P.G.; Contino, C.; Marchand, M. et al.
In: Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Vol. 75, 102269, 10.2020.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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