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PTSD after traumatic injury: An investigation of the impact of injury severity and peritraumatic and posttraumatic moderators

Gabert, Crystal A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1247847613

Abstract Details

2009, MA, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
Research has shown that approximately 69% of people have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime and that approximately 7.8% of the general population will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following trauma exposure. Given the debilitating nature of PTSD and the fact that only a small subset of traumatized individuals develop PTSD; it is critical to elucidate variables that aid in the identification of victims who are at high risk of developing PTSD. One variable commonly examined has been injury severity; however, results have been mixed with respect to the impact that injury severity has on risk for PTSD. Methodological differences between studies (i.e. differences in range of injuries examined, measurement of injury severity (subjective or objective), trauma sample, and inclusion of moderating/mediating variables) may account for some of the variability in findings regarding the predictive ability of injury severity for PTSD symptoms. The aim of the present study was to examine subjective and objective injury severity ratings in a heterogeneous sample of trauma victims to determine if these measures would differentially predict PTSD symptoms. Sixty-five adult trauma victims (44 males and 21 females) were assessed within 2-weeks of traumatic injury and then 6-weeks and 3-months post-trauma. Moderation models were conducted to determine whether peri- and posttraumatic factors impacted to the relationship between injury severity and symptom development. Results revealed that subjective injury severity predicted PTSD symptoms at both 6-weeks and 3-months post-trauma. Additionally, for participants appraising their injuries as more severe, the more they dissociated the more PTSD symptoms they reported. Findings indicate that subjective appraisals of the traumatic event should be incorporated into early screeners for PTSD risk and that risk should be determined in light of the moderating impact of peritraumatic dissociation.
Douglas Delahanty, PhD (Committee Chair)
Joel Hughes, PhD (Committee Member)
John Updegraff, PhD (Committee Member)
Manfred van Dulmen, PhD (Committee Member)
Psychology
PTSD; injury severity; moderators

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Gabert, C. A. (2009). PTSD after traumatic injury: An investigation of the impact of injury severity and peritraumatic and posttraumatic moderators [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1247847613

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Gabert, Crystal. PTSD after traumatic injury: An investigation of the impact of injury severity and peritraumatic and posttraumatic moderators. 2009. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1247847613.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Gabert, Crystal. "PTSD after traumatic injury: An investigation of the impact of injury severity and peritraumatic and posttraumatic moderators." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1247847613

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1247847613
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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.