Data of the multi-wave population-based prospective Victims in Modern Society (VICTIMS) study on potential traumatic events, social support, mental health, coping self-efficacy and services use

We present the data of the first six annual surveys of the large prospective population-based Dutch VICTIMS-study that started in 2018. Each survey systematically examines exposure to potential traumatic events in the past 12 months, including time of event and amount of stress during the event. Furthermore, each survey assesses anxiety and depression symptomatology, lack of social support, physical, mental, work, partner/family, religious, legal, administrative and financial problems, and problem-related services use. Among the by potentially traumatic events (PTEs) affected respondents, current PTSD-symptomatology, social acknowledgement, events-related contacts with various professional, and coping self-efficacy related to the (most stressful) PTE in the past 12 months was examined. This multi-wave study is conducted using the Dutch Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences panel (LISS panel) that is based on a large traditional probability sample of the Dutch population (16+). People cannot register themselves as a panel member which minimizes the risks of selection bias. Panel members receive a financial compensation for each completed questionnaire, which has a positive effect on the response rate. Households that would otherwise be unable to participate are provided with a simple, remotely managed computer and internet connection. The set-up of the LISS panel in 2007 was funded by the Dutch Research Council and is managed by Centerdata, a non-profit institute housed at the campus of Tilburg University (The Netherlands). The number of invited (adult) panel members for the VICTIM-study varies between 6119 and 7096 across the years, and the response rate varies between 82.4 % and 87.9 %. The data of the VICTIMS-study can efficiently be linked with archived data of all other (past or future) studies conducted with the LISS panel, such as the annual Core studies on Health and Personality, and the 300+ Assembled studies conducted with the LISS panel. This offers unique opportunities for researchers to address numerous research questions related to potential traumatic and stressful life-events.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms among Polish World War II survivors: the role of social acknowledgement

Background: There is growing evidence of the important role played by socio-interpersonal variables on the maintenance of PTSD. Many World War II survivors in Poland could, as a result of political circumstances during the aftermath of the war, have experienced a lack of social recognition of their war-related trauma. Objective: The main aim of the study was to examine the association between perceived social reactions and the level of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) and depression. Method: Participants (N = 120) were aged 71-97 years (M = 82.44; SD = 6.14). They completed a WWII trauma-related questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Impact of Events Scale (IES) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The Social Acknowledgement Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to measure participants' perception of others' acknowledgement and disapproval of their war trauma. Results: The rate of probable PTSD, diagnosed according to DSM-IV, was 38.3%. PTSD symptoms and General Disapproval were significantly correlated for all three PTSD symptom groups (Pearson's r ranged from .25 to .41). The structural equation modelling results also demonstrated the importance of General Disapproval with regard to the level of PTSD symptoms. It explained both the intensity of PTSD symptoms (13.4% of variance) and the level of depression (12.0% of variance). Conclusion: In addition to confirming the high rate of PTSD among WWII survivors in Poland, the results indicate the importance of social reactions to survivors' traumatic experiences.