Abdel Halim Boudoukha

Inmates-to-staff Assaults, PTSD and Burnout: profiles of risk and vulnerability

Prison employees are often confronted with critical incidents and chronic stressors that may lead to trauma or burnout symptoms. However, most of the research on clinical aspects of interpersonal violence in prisons (inmates-to-staff violence, specifically) focuses either on trauma or on burnout. The purpose of the present study is (a) to examine both burnout and posttraumatic stress among prison staff and (b) to examine the influences of inmates-to-staff violent relations on posttraumatic stress in terms of risk profile to develop PTSD. A random sample of French correctional employees has completed various self-reported questionnaires assessing burnout, posttraumatic stress, and stress as well as victimization and demographic characteristics. Correctional employees demonstrated high levels of PTSD symptoms, burnout, and stress. Violent interactions with inmates lead to experienced trauma of all types (PTSD, secondary, or vicarious trauma). Results have highlighted a prison worker’s profile prone to PTSD: he or she expresses high levels of emotional exhaustion, intense levels of stress, high levels of depersonalization, and high levels of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperreactivity. This study contributes to an understanding of the literature by explaining the complex association between burnout and posttraumatic stress after interpersonal violence. These findings suggest a need to support prison workers and to address inmates-to-staff relational dynamics.

Adult attachment and emotional awareness impairment: a multimethod assessment.

Our objective was to explore the relationships between adult attachment and various aspects of emotional awareness, including alexithymia and level of emotional awareness. Participants were 112 university students who completed the Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ), and the Level of Emotional Awareness Scale. We found that alexithymia was positively related to the avoidant attachment style and negatively with the anxious attachment style. Anxious style-but not avoidance-was also related to the level of emotional awareness. An analysis of the four attachment categories revealed subtle differences regarding the subscales of the BVAQ. Findings are discussed with reference to internal working models of self and others, highlighting the relationship between emotional awareness impairment and interpersonal behaviour.

Chronic low back pain and the transdiagnostic process: How do cognitive and emotional dysregulations contribute to the intensity of risk factors and pain?

Abstract Background and aims Based on a transdiagnostic approach, this study assesses the impact of cognitive and emotional processes (difficulties in emotional regulation, impulsiveness, rumination and somatosensory amplification) on the psychological risk factors of chronic low-back pain. Methods The study was carried out with 256 patients with chronic low-back pain. All the variables were assessed through a booklet of 10 validated questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis and moderation analysis were performed. Results Predictors included in multiple regression models explain 3%-42% (adjusted R2) of the variance in psychological risk factors. Moreover, analyses reveal a significant moderator effect of somatosensory amplification on the link between fear-avoidance beliefs linked to work and pain intensity (F(3;250) = 12.33; p = .00), of somatosensory amplification and brooding on the link between depression and functional repercussions (FR) on everyday life (F(3;252) = 13.36; p = .000; F(1;252) = 12.42; p = .00), of the reflection dimension of rumination on the link between the helplessness dimension of catastrophizing and FRs on sociability (F(3;252) = 37.02; p = .00). There is also a moderation analysis with a significant trend concerning the lack of emotional awareness and the difficulties in controlling impulsive behaviours. Conclusions Our results indicate an important role of some dimensions of difficulties in emotional regulation, somatosensory amplification and rumination in the increase in negative affects and dysfunctional beliefs, and in the links between those psychological risk factors and pain/disability. Implications This study identifies some cognitive and emotional dysregulations substantially involved in work-related chronic pain. This contribute to put in place psychotherapeutic protocols to tackle these deficits and dysregulations in a relevant way.

When traumatic event exposure characteristics matter: Impact of traumatic event exposure characteristics on posttraumatic and dissociative symptoms.

Objective: Traumatic events can lead to posttraumatic (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] specific symptoms) and dissociative symptoms (PTSD nonspecific symptoms). However, the trauma exposure characteristics (type of exposure, categorical form, number of exposures and the age of the exposure) are rarely studied. We hypothesized that the characteristics of a traumatic event are the only predictors of specific posttraumatic symptoms (intrusion, avoidance, negative cognitive impairment) and nonspecific symptoms (dissociation). We also hypothesized that some characteristics of a traumatic event are specific predictors of posttraumatic symptoms, whereas other characteristics are predictors of nonspecific symptoms. Method: Three hundred nine university students participated in the study (201 men, 108 women; mean age : 19.32 years). Students completed questionnaires assessing trauma exposure characteristics, PTSD, dissociation, and burnout. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to identify predictive factors for elevated specific PTSD symptoms and elevated nonspecific PTSD symptoms. Results: A different impact of the characteristics of 1 or more traumatic events was observed on specific posttraumatic symptoms. In men, the model was significant, with 6 predictors explaining 14% to 23% of the variance of specific posttraumatic symptoms. In women, 2 predictors explaining 15% to 28% of the variance of posttraumatic symptoms were found. The characteristics of the traumatic event were not the only predictors of posttraumatic symptoms (specific and nonspecific), with emotional exhaustion playing an unexpected predictive role. Conclusions: Burnout and PTSD might share emotional exhaustion as a common risk factor for PTSD. Further studies in this area are warranted, noteworthy focusing on clinical populations.