| Autor: |
Levy E; Department of Social Work, Tel Hai College, Qiryat Shemona 1220800, Israel.; Research Center for Innovation in Social Work, Tel Hai College, Qiryat Shemona 1220800, Israel.; The Israeli School of Humanitarian Action, Tel Aviv 4632825, Israel., Herzog D; Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv 6812509, Israel., Ryder CH; Brain & Behavior Research Institute, Western Galilee Academic College, Akko 2412101, Israel., Grunstein R; Department of Social Work, Tel Hai College, Qiryat Shemona 1220800, Israel., Gidron Y; Department of Nursing, Haifa University, Haifa 3498838, Israel. |
| Abstrakt: |
Background : Humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) are indirectly exposed to atrocities relating to people of concern (POC). This may result in a risk of secondary traumatization demonstrated by post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). Previous studies have demonstrated that hemispheric lateralization (HL) moderates the relationship between threat exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). Aims : We hypothesized that indirect exposure to atrocities (IETA) would be positively correlated with PTSSs among HAWs with right and not left HL. Method : Fifty-four HAWs from several countries that provided humanitarian support in Greece and Colombia participated in this correlational and cross-sectional observation study. They completed scales relating to IETA, PTSSs were assessed using a brief, valid scale, and HL was measured. Results : IETA was positively and significantly related to PTSSs (r = 0.39, p < 0.005). Considering HL, IETA was unrelated to PTSSs among people with right HL (r = 0.29, p = 0.14), while IETA was related to PTSSs among people with left HL (r = 0.52, p = 0.008). Right HL emerged as a protective factor in the relationship between IETA and PTSS. Conclusions : An assessment of dominant HL can serve as one consideration among others when deploying HAWs in specific locations and roles, vis à vis IETA. Moreover, those found to have a higher risk for PTSSs based on their HL could be monitored more closely to prevent adverse reactions to IETA. |
