OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the emotional effects of a major community toxic release while controlling the potential effects of response bias associated with litigation. METHODS: Participants included 152 exposed adult litigants and a matched unexposed comparison group (n = 76). Psychological assessment methods included: (1) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2; (2) Symptom Checklist-90-Revised; and (3) Impact of Event Scale-Revised. RESULTS: Ten to 40% of the exposed group demonstrated emotional distress (compared with a 5% comparison baseline) depending on indicator and cutoff score used. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological consequences of a community toxic exposure were present even when exaggeration was carefully controlled. Accounting for exaggeration in the assessment of subjective psychological complaints provides a more accurate view of the subjective emotional state of persons who have experienced toxic exposure thereby facilitating appropriate clinical management of their mental health needs.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the emotional effects of a major community toxic release while controlling the potential effects of response bias associated with litigation. METHODS:Participants included 152 exposed adult litigants and a matched unexposed comparison group (n = 76). Psychological assessment methods included: (1) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2; (2) Symptom Checklist-90-Revised; and (3) Impact of Event Scale-Revised. RESULTS: Ten to 40% of the exposed group demonstrated emotional distress (compared with a 5% comparison baseline) depending on indicator and cutoff score used. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological consequences of a community toxic exposure were present even when exaggeration was carefully controlled. Accounting for exaggeration in the assessment of subjective psychological complaints provides a more accurate view of the subjective emotional state of persons who have experienced toxic exposure thereby facilitating appropriate clinical management of their mental health needs.
Authors: Jay P Ginsberg; Joseph R Holbrook; Debjani Chanda; Haikun Bao; Erik R Svendsen Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2011-11-10 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Harrison J Schmitt; Eric E Calloway; Daniel Sullivan; Whitney Clausen; Pamela G Tucker; Jamie Rayman; Ben Gerhardstein Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2021-02-04 Impact factor: 7.963
Authors: Kevin W Greve; Kevin J Bianchini; Timothy R Stickle; Jeffrey M Love; Bridget M Doane; Matthew D Thompson Journal: Child Psychiatry Hum Dev Date: 2006-11-29