Psychiatric sequelae and psychosocial adjustment following ocular trauma: a retrospective pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence of psychiatric and adjustment problems after ocular trauma and those factors related to a poor outcome.


METHODS
47 patients were assessed by structured interview, of whom 45 satisfactorily completed three standardised self report measures of psychological functioning, subjective distress, and social adjustment.


RESULTS
33% of patients displayed psychiatric "caseness". A number of features of the victim consistently resulted in poor outcome including a psychiatric history and peritraumatic dissociation.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary findings suggest ocular trauma is associated with psychomorbidity and problems of adjustment. The improved management of such patients would benefit from a more detailed analysis by means of a longitudinal study involving larger samples.
Alexander
D A
DA
University of Aberdeen and Centre for Trauma Research, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen, UK. d.a.alexander@abdn.ac.uk
Kemp
R V
RV
Klein
S
S
Forrester
J V
JV
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012917:Social Adjustment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology*