Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2014

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Experimental Psychology

Committee Chair

Kara I. Gabriel

Second Committee Member

Elizabeth Haviland

Third Committee Member

Ralf Greenwald

Abstract

The current study focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how factors such as gender or military status and precipitating trauma associated with the disorder influenced the occurrence or strength of the participants' perceived and personal stigma and desired social distance to the individual suffering from PTSD. Participants' PTSD knowledge was measured and evaluated as a potential covariate. Three hundred and thirty male and female undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 12 experimental vignettes that varied by gender, military status, and precipitating trauma associated with an individual suffering from PTSD. Results supported one of the proposed hypotheses: knowledge of PTSD mediated the stigma and social distance participants desired from an individual with PTSD regardless of gender, military status or precipitating trauma of the individual with PTSD. Findings also revealed significantly lower personal stigma in response to the precipitating trauma of rape associated with PTSD.

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