Predictors of Chronic Trauma-Related Symptoms in a Community Sample of New Zealand Motor Vehicle Accident Survivors

Abstract

This study examined 1,500 New Zealand community-residing adults for involvement in serious motor vehicle accident (MVA) and the development of trauma-related symptomatology. The incidence of MVA was 11 %. More than 50 % of the accident victim sub-sample reported hyperarousal, with exaggerated startle, intrusive recollections, situational avoidance, emotional reactivity, and cognitive avoidance. The high incidence of trauma-related symptoms is noteworthy given 59 % of victims reported sustaining no or mild accident injury, and only 27 % were admitted to hospital for severe injury. Trauma-related symptoms were related to measures of injury severity, psychological and social functioning, and persistent medical problems. Pre- and post-accident factors, that is, experience of additional trauma, experience of stressful life events and post-accident social contact were the most important predictors of trauma-related symptoms severity. This study discusses the importance of examining trauma-related symptoms rather than using categorical diagnostic criteria (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) as a sole means of characterizing the psychological impact of MVA.

Post-traumatic stress disorder associated with life-threatening motor vehicle collisions in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

“…Our finding that low education was the only significant predictor of MVC-related PTSD is broadly consistent with a meta-analysis that found low education to be the most consistent socio-demographic predictor of all forms of PTSD [ 12 ], although a more recent systematic review focused specifically on PTSD after MVCs found no consistent socio-demographic predictors [ 4 ]. Our findings that death and serious injury predicted MVC-related PTSD are consistent with findings from both clinical [ 4 ] and community epidemiological [ 9 ] studies. Our findings that being the driver and perceived fault were not significant predictors are consistent with a systematic review of previous studies of MVC-related PTSD [ 4 ], although other work on PTSD has found an association between trauma perpetration and PSTD [ 46 ], suggesting that more detailed study of the role of post-traumatic cognitions in MVC-related PTSD is needed [ 10 ].…”

“…We address this limitation in the current report by analyzing data on prevalence and predictors of MVC-related PTSD from community epidemiological surveys carried out in 8 low-middle income countries and 4 high income countries in the WHO World Mental Health Survey Initiative ( www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/wmh ). The predictors we focus on are consistent with those examined and found to be significant in previous community epidemiological surveys of MVC-related PTSD [ 9 – 11 ] and overall PTSD [ 12 – 14 ]: socio-demographics, characteristics of the trauma; prior history of exposure to other highly stressful experiences; and history of prior psychopathology.…”

Relationship of Safe Riding Knowledge, Perception About Danger, and Safe Riding Behavior Among Senior High School Students in Samarinda Indonesia

“…non-compliance with traffic regulations, 2) vehicle factors, 3) road factors, and 4) environmental factors (Zayu, 2012). It is mentioned that the incidence of motorcycle accidents among motorcyclists in adolescents is 11%, and more than 50% of traffic accident victims have hyperarousal, memory disturbances, more emotional, also cognitive and social disorders (Kazantzis et al, 2012).…”

The Relations Between Trauma Exposure, Subjective Trauma Appraisals, and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in a Sample of Road Traffic Accident Victims

“…Severity of injury is the most often studied objective indicator of trauma exposure that manifested positive associations with PTSD (Koren, Norman, Cohen, Berman, & Klein, 20005). Having a fatality occur during an RTA, severity of the initial injury and persistent medical problems following the accident are among the most consistent predictors of PTSD for victims of RTAs (Chossegros et al, 2011;Kazantzis et al, 2012;Schönenberg, Jusyte, Hautzinger, & Badke, 2011). Further, other results showed that seeking medical attention after an RTA is a predictor of developing PTSD in the following year after the RTA (Blanchard & Hickling, 2004).…”