Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

About 75% of Canadians are exposed to at least one traumatic event during their lifetime, and of those, approximately 9% will be diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research indicates that significant others (intimate partners and family members) of people with PTSD experience elevated psychological distress and that this distress is associated with the severity of individuals' posttraumatic symptomatology. Yet, little research exists on the influence of significant others' mental health on traumatized individuals' reactions after being exposed to a trauma. This study examines the association between significant others' mental health and traumatized individuals' reactions to trauma in a CIHR-funded longitudinal study that follows individuals and their significant others within 6 months of experiencing a traumatic event. Findings will answer questions about the role of significant others' mental health symptomatology on the onset of PTSD, and whether different types of significant others (i.e., intimate partners and family members) exert the same influence on individuals' posttraumatic reactions and recovery. The outcomes of this project will help to identify factors that contribute to the onset of PTSD among trauma-exposed individuals to ultimately inform methods by which PTSD can be prevented.