Predictors of posttraumatic stress among victims of motor vehicle accidents

Citation
Al. Dougall et al., Predictors of posttraumatic stress among victims of motor vehicle accidents, PSYCHOS MED, 63(3), 2001, pp. 402-411
Citations number
43
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,"Clinical Psycology & Psychiatry","Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE
ISSN journal
00333174 → ACNP
Volume
63
Issue
3
Year of publication
2001
Pages
402 - 411
Database
ISI
SICI code
0033-3174(200105/06)63:3<402:POPSAV>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
Objective: This study identified factors that predict individual vulnerabil ity to psychological trauma by examining the relationships among situation and person variables and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1 , 6, and 12 months after a serious motor vehicle accident (MVA). Methods: B ackground characteristics, exposure variables tie, injury severity and acci dent characteristics), and psychosocial variables tie, perceived loss of co ntrol, social support, and coping) were used to predict symptoms of PTSD an d recovery in 115 injured MVA victims. All participants were injured during the MVA and provided data prospectively over the course of a year after th eir accidents. Results: Along with background and exposure variables, use o f wishful thinking coping distinguished between victims with and without sy mptoms of PTSD. Conclusions: Psychosocial variables such as wishful thinkin g coping can be used to identify MVA victims who are at risk of developing chronic posttraumatic stress and warrant further investigation.