BJP Try Advances in Psychiatric Treatment Online
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by McFarlane, A. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by McFarlane, A. C.

The British Journal of Psychiatry 151: 362-367 (1987)
© 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Life events and psychiatric disorder: the role of a natural disaster

AC McFarlane
Department of Psychiatry, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park.

Examining the impact of natural disasters on psychological health provides an opportunity to study the role played by extreme adversity in the onset of psychiatric disorder. Four hundred and sixty-nine fire- fighters who had been intensely exposed to an Australian bushfire disaster completed a detailed inventory of their experiences four months later. They also completed a brief life events schedule and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Only 9% of the GHQ score variance could be accounted for by the disaster and other life events; the effects of the disaster appeared to be separate and additive. This is similar to the relationship between life events and psychiatric illness found in other settings. It is suggested that vulnerability is a more important factor in breakdown than the degree of stress experienced.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. PsychiatryHome page
D. Wagner, M. Heinrichs, and U. Ehlert
Prevalence of Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in German Professional Firefighters
Am J Psychiatry, December 1, 1998; 155(12): 1727 - 1732.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 Psychiatr. Serv.Home page
L. R. Matthews
Effect of Staff Debriefing on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms After Assaults by Community Housing Residents
Psychiatr Serv, February 1, 1998; 49(2): 207 - 212.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.