Citation

Joseph S, Dalgleish T, Williams R, Yule W, Thrasher S, Hodgkinson P. Br. J. Clin. Psychol. 1997; 36(1): 133-138.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, British Psychological Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9051284

Abstract

The relationship between self-reported attitudes towards emotional expression, assessed at three years after the accident, and post-traumatic symptoms, assessed at five years after the accident, was investigated in 37 survivors of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. It was found that lower scores on the attitudes towards emotional expression scale, indicating more negative attitudes (e.g. 'I think getting emotional is a sign of weakness') were associated with higher symptom scores. This association remained even when retrospectively assessed perceptions of helplessness during the disaster and symptoms assessed at three years were partialled out. Implications for therapeutic intervention are discussed.

Language: en