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Effects of Parental Optimism on Psychosocial Outcomes of Pediatric Burn Patients and their Parents

Odar, Cathleen C.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1280523678

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, Psychology, Clinical.
Prior research has identified pediatric burn survivors and their parents as at risk for the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) following the burn event. However, a large number of patients are still able to experience appropriate adjustment post-burn. Optimism has been shown to influence better psychological adjustment in a variety of populations, including parents of children experiencing a medical event. The following study investigated the influence of parental optimism as a potential resiliency factor against the development of parent and child PTSS following pediatric burn. The current study also investigated whether level of optimism influenced the coping styles used by parents, and whether any coping styles were associated with lower reported PTSS. Participants included parents of 50 children under the age of 6 who experienced either a burn or abrasion injury, with an average burn size of 4.77% total body surface area (Range= 1% to 36%; SD=7.28) and an average 90.10 (SD= 174.55) days since burn. Dispositional and situational optimism were not found to be predictors of fewer PTSS in parents of pediatric burn patients. Parental optimism was also not found to be associated with fewer PTSS in their children. However, unexpectedly, greater parental optimism was found to be associated with greater symptoms of avoidance in children at least one month post-burn. Relationships between parental level of optimism and the coping styles utilized by parents were also found. Greater dispositional optimism was associated with less use of self-distraction and behavioral disengagement for coping, while greater situational optimism was associated with greater use of positive reframing. Interesting relationships between parental coping style and parent and child PTSS were observed, with greater use of the majority of coping styles being associated with greater symptoms of stress. Future research should investigate whether optimism is a predictor of better adjustment in other burn samples with larger burns or higher reported PTSS .
Keri Brown Kirschman (Committee Chair)
Roger Reeb (Committee Member)
Catherine Butz (Committee Member)
118 p.
Psychology
burn; injury; optimism; dispositional; situational; coping; parent; child; adjustment; positive psychology; post traumatic stress; post-traumatic; pediatric

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Odar, C. C. (2010). Effects of Parental Optimism on Psychosocial Outcomes of Pediatric Burn Patients and their Parents [Master's thesis, University of Dayton]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1280523678

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Odar, Cathleen. Effects of Parental Optimism on Psychosocial Outcomes of Pediatric Burn Patients and their Parents. 2010. University of Dayton, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1280523678.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Odar, Cathleen. "Effects of Parental Optimism on Psychosocial Outcomes of Pediatric Burn Patients and their Parents." Master's thesis, University of Dayton, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1280523678

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

dayton1280523678
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This open access ETD is published by University of Dayton and OhioLINK.