Homicide as a risk factor for PTSD among surviving family members.
One quick PTSD screen can spot the one in four homicide survivors who need help, even years later.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers mailed surveys to the adults who lost a parent, child, or sibling to homicide.
They asked about PTSD symptoms now and at any time since the death.
The survey took place six months to three years after the murder.
What they found
One in four survivors met full PTSD rules at some point in their life.
Only one in twenty still had PTSD six months before the survey.
Age of the victim or type of homicide did not change the numbers.
How this fits with other research
Burrows et al. (2018) also used surveys to show that mothers who see an ASD diagnosis as a loss feel grief, not just distress.
Both papers prove that how you view the event shapes later trauma.
Seymour et al. (2018) found low support and job stress raised distress in fathers of autistic kids.
The homicide study adds that social context matters even after sudden violent loss.
Why it matters
If you work with families after crisis, screen every adult for PTSD, not just the ones who ask for help.
Most recover within a few years, but one wave of questions can catch the one in four who need care.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In this National Institute of Justice-funded study, random digit dialing telephone survey methodology was used to screen a large, nationally representative sample (N = 12,500) of the noninstitutionalized U.S. adult population to identify surviving family members and friends of victims of criminal homicide and alcohol-related vehicular homicide. A total of 9.3% of the national sample had lost a family member or friend to homicide. Immediate family survivors (n = 206) completed an interview assessing demographic characteristics and DSM-III-R criteria for homicide-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The interview participation rate was 84%. Among immediate family survivors, 23.3% developed PTSD at some point in their lifetimes, and 4.8% met full diagnostic criteria for PTSD during the preceding 6 months. Survivors of criminal and vehicular homicide victims were equally likely to develop PTSD. Survivors who experienced the homicide during their childhood, adolescence, or adulthood also showed equal likelihood of PTSD. Clinical implications of findings are discussed.
Behavior modification, 1991 · doi:10.1177/01454455910154005