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Accession Number:
ADA115592
Title:
Emotional Effects on USAF Personnel of Recovering and Identifying Victims from Jonestown, Guyana.
Descriptive Note:
Final rept. Feb-Oct 79,
Corporate Author:
SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE BROOKS AFB TX
Report Date:
1982-04-01
Pagination or Media Count:
53.0
Abstract:
Although much has been written about the emotional effects of disasters upon the victims, little study has been done of the effects on rescuers who were otherwise personally uninvolved. This report concerns a questionnaire survey of the emotional effects on the USAF personnel involved in recovering and identifying the mass suicide and murder victims fom Jonestown, Guyana. Questionnaires were sent to 592 participants 225, 38, responded and to 352 controls 76, 22 responded. These questionnaires inquired after demographic data, degree of exposure to remains, amount of emotional support available, and its perceived adequacy. Specific inquiry was made as to emotional status immediately before the Guyana project, 1 month after the time required for the identification effort, and almost 18 months later -- at the time the questionnaire was filled out. Thus we hoped to differentiate short-term dysphoric effects from long-term effects. The control questionnaires were intended to give an estimate of the incidence of dysphoric effects due to the routine vicissitudes of life. Short-term dysphoria was reported by 32 of the Guyana respondents and 9 of the controls p .001 long-term dysphoric rates were 21 and 17 respectively NS at the .05 level. Among the Guyana respondents, significantly higher rates of dysphoria were found in those under 25 years old, blacks as compared to whites, and enlisted as compared to officers. Author
Distribution Statement:
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
