The influence of coping and cognitive appraisal in predicting Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A prospective study on workplace violence in psychiatric staff in Denmark

BACKGROUND: Since psychiatric staff experience a high occurrence of workplace violence and subsequent Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it is important to assess the behavioral and cognitive risk factors of PTSD in this population. OBJECTIVE: The current study assesses the incidence of PTSD 12 months after the occurrence of WV. Furthermore, it examines possible prospective associations between coping strategies and cognitive appraisals, respectively, and PTSD. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted with staff from 18 psychiatric wards in Denmark (n = 183) who had reported an incidence of workplace violence. Most subjects were women (83.3%). RESULTS: The incidence of PTSDwas 9.8%. The main analysis showed a significant relationship between negative cognitive appraisals about the self and PTSD (OR = 2.87, p <.05), and a coping strategy of self-blame and PTSD (OR = 2.21, p <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Certain dysfunctional coping strategies and negative cognitive appraisals seems to predict posttraumatic stress in an occupational context. Information about these processes could be important for preventive strategies in the workplace.