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A PROSPECTIVE EXAMINATION OF URINARY STRESS HORMONES AND PTSD SYMPTOMS FROM MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT TO POST-TRAUMA RECOVERY

Fischer, Beth Ann
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1194966805

Abstract Details

2007, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
Research has demonstrated that individuals subsequently diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) respond differently to their traumatic event, both psychologically and physiologically, compared to similarly traumatized individuals without PTSD and non-traumatized controls. However, the current PTSD literature is mixed regarding the interrelationship between Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS),order of PTSD symptom presentation, and PTSD symptom change. Additionally, while research has indicated that alterations in stress hormone levels measured immediately following a traumatic event and over time are associated with a PTSD diagnosis, the dynamic relationship between PTSS and stress hormone correlates has gone unexamined. Thus, the present study examined urinary catecholamine and cortisol levels collected from motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims immediately upon hospital admission, and approximately 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-MVA. PTSS were also assessed in-hospital,and 6 weeks, 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-MVA. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to systematically track the relationships between PTSD symptom clusters and between urinary stress hormone levels and PTSS over time. As hypothesized, PTSS were highest in frequency and intensity immediately post-MVA and gradually decreased over the course of recovery with hyperarousal symptoms demonstrating the slowest rate of improvement over time. Additionally, while hyperarousal was found to be the most prominent predictor of change in intrusion and avoidance over time, change in hyperarousal was also influenced by intrusion and avoidance symptom suggesting a reciprocal relationship. However, earlier hyperarousal and intrusion symptoms were found to be equally influential in predicting change in later, more chronic PTSS over time. Although we hypothesized that cortisol and catecholamines would be related to and predictive of change in PTSD symptom clusters over time, our results did not support this relationship. However, exploratory analyses conducted to examine the change in cortisol over time indicated that individuals with high chronic hyperarousal demonstrated lower cortisol levels immediately following their MVA and continuously had lower cortisol levels over time compared to individuals with low hyperarousal. These findings emphasize the significant role of hyperarousal in symptom change and recovery over time, contribute new insight into PTSS theory, and provide insight into pharmacological and clinical treatments that might ameliorate PTSD symptomatology.
Douglas Delahanty (Advisor)
Hyperarousal; PTSD; SYMPTOMS; PTSS; cortisol; Intrusion; Symptom Cluster

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Fischer, B. A. (2007). A PROSPECTIVE EXAMINATION OF URINARY STRESS HORMONES AND PTSD SYMPTOMS FROM MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT TO POST-TRAUMA RECOVERY [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1194966805

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Fischer, Beth. A PROSPECTIVE EXAMINATION OF URINARY STRESS HORMONES AND PTSD SYMPTOMS FROM MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT TO POST-TRAUMA RECOVERY. 2007. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1194966805.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Fischer, Beth. "A PROSPECTIVE EXAMINATION OF URINARY STRESS HORMONES AND PTSD SYMPTOMS FROM MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT TO POST-TRAUMA RECOVERY." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1194966805

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.