Previous trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms as predictors of subjective and biological response to stress.

Objective: The immediate and long-term effects of traumatic exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress reactions in people in high-risk occupations are well-documented. What is less evident is the impact of this traumatic exposure and subsequent traumatic stress symptoms on workers' response to acute stress situations. This study aimed to examine the association between prior traumatic exposure related to policing, current posttraumatic stress symptoms and biological markers of stress, and subjective appraisal of stress before, during, and after exposure to acutely stressful stimuli.

Does posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affect performance?

Research has increasingly identified alarming levels of traumatic stress symptoms in individuals working in emergency services and other high stress jobs. This study examined the effects of prior critical incident exposure and current posttraumatic symptoms on the performance of a nonpatient population, police recruits, during an acutely stressful event. A stressful policing situation was created through the use of a video simulator room that was responsive to actions of participants.