A Comparison of Traumatic Life Experiences Between Disabled and Non-Disabled Patients in an Internal Medicine Clinic

Abstract

To our knowledge, only one study has examined the relationship between disability compensation and traumatic life events. In this study, researchers did not find a relationship between physical and sexual abuse, and disability compensation. In the present study, we examined 47 men and women in an internal medicine clinic and, using a survey method, explored disability compensation in relationship to traumatic life events and several aspects of participants’ psychiatric histories. Compared with the non-disabled group (n = 27), the disabled group (n = 20) reported a greater number of traumatic experiences; more types of traumatic experiences; and more traumatic experiences associated with fear, helplessness, or horror. While there were strong trends, none of these relationships was statistically significant. In addition, the disabled group reported significantly more psychiatric hospitalizations, panic attacks, flashbacks, and alcohol dependence. While not statistically significant, the strong positive trends between disability compensation and trauma suggest a possible relationship--one that warrants further investigation.

Keywords

disability trauma

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aaron, L. A. , Bradley, L. A. , Alarcon, G. S. , Triana-Alexander, M. , Alexander, R. W. , Martine, M. Y. , et al. (1997). Perceived physical and emotional trauma as precipitating events in fibromyalgia. Associations with health care seeking and disability status but not pain severity. Arthritis & Rheumatology, 40, 453-460.

Eldridge, G. D. (1991). Contextual issues in the assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 41, 7-23.

Hubbard, J. , Realmuto, G. M. , Northwood, A. K. , & Masten, A. S. (1995). Comorbidity of psychiatric diagnoses with posttraumatic stress disorder in survivors of childhood trauma. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 1167-1173.

Jordan, R. G. , Nunley, T. V. , & Cook, R. R. (1992). Symptom exaggeration in a PTSD inpatient population: Response set of claim for compensation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 5, 633-642.

Kessler, R. C. , Sonnega, A. , Bromet, E. , Hughes, M. , Nelson, C. B. (1995) Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 52, 1048-1060.

Kubany, E. S. , Haynes, S. N. , Leisen, M. B. , Owens, J. A. , Kaplan, A. S. , Watson, S. B. , et al. (2000). Development and preliminary validation of a brief broad-spectrum measure of trauma exposure: The Traumatic Life Events Questionaire (TLEQ). Psychological Assessment, 12, 210-224.

MacMillan, H. L. , Fleming, J. E. , Streiner, D. L. , Lin, E. , Boyle, M. H. , Jamieson, E. , et al. (2001). Childhood abuse and lifetime psychopathology in a community sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 1878-1883.

Paul, T. , Schroeter, K. , Dahme, B. , & Nutzinger, D. O. (2002). Self-injurious behavior in women with eating disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 408-411.

Simpson, T. L. , & Miller, W. R. (2002). Concomitance between childhood sexual and physical abuse and substance use problems. A review. Clinical Psychology Review, 22, 27-77.

10.

Smith, D. W. , & Frueh, B. C. (1996). Compensation seeking, comorbidity, and apparent exaggeration of PTSD symptoms among Vietnam combat veterans. Psychological Assessment, 8, 3-6.

11.

Walen, H. R. , Oliver, K. , Groessl, E. , Cronan, T. A. , & Rodriguez, V. M. (2001). Traumatic events, health outcomes, and health care use in patients with fibromyalgia. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain, 9, 19-38.

12.

Watson, P. , McFall, M. , McBrine, C. , Schnurr, P. , Friedman, M. , Keane, T. , et al. (2002). Best practice manual for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compensation and pension examinations. Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs.

13.

Westbrook, V.B. (1999). Survey of type and frequency of abuse and the psychological dimensions of self-esteem, depression, and self-blame among abuse women in southeastern Louisiana. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B, 60, 1537.