Temperamental correlates of trauma symptoms in firemen, policemen and soldiers

Objectives: The main goal of the research was to assess temperamental determinants of trauma symptoms in firemen, policemen and soldiers. The temperament traits which were considered were those postulated by the Regulative Theory of Temperament (briskness, perseveration, sensory sensitivity, emotional reactivity, endurance and activity). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was run on non-clinical samples. The participants were 417 men, White-Caucasian only: 284 firemen (aged 21–55), 58 policemen (aged 22–45), and 75 soldiers (aged 21–42). Temperament was assessed using the Formal Characteristics of Behavior – Temperament Inventory. Intensity of trauma symptoms was assessed with the PTSD-Factorial Version Inventory, a quantitative measure of trauma-related symptoms. The respondents were examined in their place of work. The study included only men reporting at least 1 traumatic event during the year before the trauma diagnosis. Results: Emotional reactivity had a significant positive effect on the intensity of trauma symptoms only in the group of firemen. Emotional reactivity accounted for 16% of the variance of trauma intensity symptoms in this occupational group. Negative significant effect on trauma symptoms was found for briskness only in the soldiers group (briskness explained 20% trauma intensity variance in this group). Conclusions: Emotional reactivity was conducive to the increased trauma symptoms intensity in firemen, whereas briskness tended to reduce symptoms intensity only in the group of soldiers.