title: Personality, coping, chronic stress, social support and PTSD symptoms among adult burn survivors: a path analysis.
abstract: This paper presents a longitudinal study of the relationship between personality, coping, chronic stress, social support and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A hypothesized model of the relationship between the predictor variables and PTSD symptoms was proposed. Path analyses was completed to test the model. One hundred fifty-eight adult burn survivors completed questionnaires measuring each of the variables in the hospital. Of those 124 and 94 completed the PTSD measure at 1 month and 6 months postdischarge, respectively. The hypothesized model fit the data at each time point with slight variations. The model accounted for 46 and 29% of the variance of PTSD symptoms at hospitalization and 1 month. Neuroticism was the most important personality dimension in predicting PTSD. Avoidant Coping and Social Support mediated a high percentage of the relationship between Neuroticism and PTSD. The best predictor of PTSD symptoms at 1 and 6 months was PTSD symptoms at hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Baltimore Regional Burn Center, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fauerbach
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019091:Critical Pathways; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010551:Personality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors