Ptsd in ambulant RTA victims: A randomized controlled trial of debriefing

This report examines initial distress levels, course of symptoms, incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), predictors of short-term outcome, and value of prophylactic counseling in a consecutive series of 40 ambulan t trauma clinic attenders with minor road traffic accident (RTA) injuries. Subjects were randomly allocated to intervention and monitoring groups foll owing assessment at a mean of 7 days posttrauma and reassessed at 3 months using a variety of standard rating scales. Seventy-five percent reported si gnificant levels of distress at 1 week posttrauma. By 3 months this had dec reased sharply to 35%, and 22% were significantly impaired by clinical asse ssment. Incidence of PTSD over 3 months was estimated at 19% and point prev alence at 3 months posttrauma was 9%. High initial distress, increasing age , and high levels of perceived threat were significant independent predicto rs of morbidity, and no significant differences in outcome were found betwe en intervention and monitoring groups at 3 months. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e Inc.