To date, few studies have investigated the impact of organizational factors\nsuch as organizational status or the rank of firefighters on the development of\nposttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a terrorist attack. To fill this\ngap in the scientific literature, this field study aimed to investigate the consequences\nof terrorist attacks on firefightersâ?? psychological health in terms of\nPTSD. Data were collected in France following two terrorist attacks. PTSD\nwas assessed with the PCL-S (DSM-IV) 3 to 6 months after the events. Confirmatory\nfactor analyses (CFAs) with existing PTSD models were inconclusive,\nleading us to find a two-factor model via an exploratory factor analysis\n(EFA). A cluster analysis showed different symptom profiles that were influenced\nby the exposure level. Elements for a structural model explaining PTSD\nsymptoms are proposed and suggest a central role of the exposure level. Firefighters\nI/II represented an at-risk sub-population, suggesting that PTSD was\nmainly experienced among those who performed tasks not common to their\noccupation.
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