Abstract:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop in people who are exposed to human-driven violence. There are some factors related to PTSD development. In this study it has been investigated the relationship between executive functions, history of psychiatric treatment, level of depressive symptoms, level of education, age, marital status, time passed after the traumatic event and posttraumatic stress disorder. Methods: 48 volunteer women participated in this research living in the Women Guest-house of Family and Social Policies Ministry. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Post Traumatic Stress Reactions Scale (PTSRS) were used to measure clinical and executive functioning. It was evaluated the correlations and associations between scales and demographic characteristics. Results: There was no correlation between WCST performance and severity of PTSRS in women exposed to sexual or physical violence. There was a positive correlation between PTSRS and depression scores, and a negative correlation between the time passed after the traumatic event and the degree of stress reactions of PTSRS. There was also correlation between the level of education and some WCST scores. It was found a significant relationship between psychiatric treatment history and WCST perseverative fault percentage. Conclusions: It seems that there is no relationship between the traumatic stress reactions and executive functioning. But, this result should be tested on patients with chronic PTSD.

Keywords: