Citation

Griffin MG, Resick PA, Waldrop AE, Mechanic MB. J. Trauma. Stress 2003; 16(3): 221-227.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Center for Trauma Recovery, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63121, USA. michael_griffin@umsl.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1023/A:1023735821900

PMID

12816333

Abstract

Few studies have examined the impact of trauma research participation upon trauma survivors. Empirical data regarding reactions to research participation would be very useful to address the question of whether it is harmful for trauma survivors to participate in trauma studies. We examined participant reactions to different trauma assessment procedures in domestic violence (N = 260), rape (N = 108), and physical assault (N = 62) samples. Results indicated that participation was very well tolerated by the vast majority of the trauma survivors. Participants generally found that the assessment experience was not distressing and was, in fact, viewed as an interesting and valuable experience. The findings suggest that trauma survivors are not too fragile to participate in trauma research even in the acute aftermath of a traumatic experience.

Language: en