TRAUMATIC STRESS IN A MISSIONARY POPULATION: DIMENSIONS AND IMPACT

Data Mining procedures were used to analyze responses of 173 missionaries surveyed about the nature and impact of traumatic stress (TS) they may have experienced while on the field. TS was almost universal, with the most frequent types involving system failure or personal crisis; there was also a high incidence of permanent negative change in those reporting TS, and over a third of these reported continuing symptoms almost a decade post-incident. Non-catastrophic stressors and stressors involving System Failure (particularly those with peer-System Failure) had higher TS impact. Severity, as seen in Total Impact and Total Number of Symptoms, was related to permanent negative change, as was age, with younger missionaries (possibly a generational rather than age or experience issue) being more vulnerable. Both destructive and salutogenic change were associated with TS, but no predictive variables were found for the latter. ********** The world is an increasingly dangerous and violent place. From 1992 to 2001, non-conflict disasters per year increased by 193 percent (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2002), and the total number of people reported killed and affected by disasters between 1967 and 1994 was estimated to have risen by 10 million additional people each year (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 1995). These massive figures do not include those whose lives have been lost or affected by intra- and inter-state conflicts, which have also increased. This is the milieu of our international missionaries, and its stressful nature is evident in the annual attrition rate for missionaries, estimated at 5.1% (Brierly, 1997). The importance of stress in general, as a factor in missionary adaptation and well-being has been discussed extensively in the literature (Carter, 1999; Chester, 1983; Dyment, 1989; Gish, 1983; Miersma, 1993; Rosik and Kilbourne-Young, 1999; Vander-Steen, 1987; Wilcox, 1995). Not surprisingly, there is also a considerable discussion in the literature dealing with variables that might associate with stress and its impact. Age has been shown to be one such factor. Donovan and Myors (1997) reported strong generational differences in missionary attrition. Furthermore, younger missionaries have been found to experience more stress than their older peers (Gish, 1983), to be less likely to extend their commitment (Wilcox, 1995), be more vulnerable to emotional trauma or burnout (Miersma, 1993), and to have higher frequency and intensity of emotional exhaustion (Dyment, 1989). Thus, it appears that age may serve as a buffer by weakening the positive association between stress and impairment. Several studies have investigated the impact of marital status, with mixed results. Married missionaries have been found to be more likely to extend service (Wilcox, 1995). However, no differences have been found for marital status on emotional burnout (Dyment, 1989) or what is perceived to be stressful (Gish, 1983). Likewise, findings on gender (Dyment, 1989; Gish, 1983) and years of service (Chester, 1983; Gish, 1983; Dyment, 1989) have been mixed. Thus, the evidence to date is inconclusive as to whether marital status, gender, or years in service moderates the effect of stress on psychological and occupational functioning. Gender findings (Dyment, 1989; Gish, 1983) and years of service (Chester, 1983; Dyment, 1989; Gish, 1983) were mixed, and occupational factors were frequently found to be high on stressor lists (Carter, 1999; Dyment, 1989; Gish, 1983; Vander-Steen, 1987) as was language acquisition/competency (Carter, 1999; Gish, 1983; Rosik and Kilbourne-Young, 1999; VanderSteen, 1987). Several authors have gone beyond stress and burnout in general and have considered traumatic stress specifically, proposing ways in which it is likely to impact missionaries. Detrimental impact has been implicated in the form of psychiatric diagnoses. …