What does the icelandic public know about post-traumatic stress disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental disorder that can have serious consequences. The current study examined PTSD knowledge amongst the Icelandic public to determine whether there is need for better PTSD education for the general public, so that people would know if they´re suffering from the disorder and know about effective treatments. The study was conducted online and there were 182 participants that took part in the study, 147 females and 35 males. The sample was a snowball sample and participants were gathered through the social media outlet Facebook. Participants answered a PTSD knowledge questionnaire with questions that included PTSD treatments, symptoms and trigger events. Participants answered on average 66% questions correctly, they knew least about effective PTSD treatments and most about events that could lead to PTSD. Participants incorrectly identified anxiety medication as effective PTSD treatment, getting divorced as an event that could lead to PTSD and alcohol or drug use as a PTSD symptom. The findings indicate that there is need for greater PTSD education amongst the public. Keywords: PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma, treatments, knowledge.

Author dc:creator

• Jasmine Cherrise Hauksdóttir 1996-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskólinn í Reykjavík

• Sálfræði
• Áfallastreita
• Sálræn áföll
• Þekking
• Psychology
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Psychic trauma
• Knowledge

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/35963

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/35963