title: Prediction of psychological health after an accidental burn.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burn victims often display psychological symptoms that can impede recovery, but knowledge about risk factors for psychopathology is limited. This study aimed to predict psychological health 3 months after burn injury from coping and trauma-related factors assessed early in hospitalization.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this study, 34 burn patients were interviewed during hospitalization about their accident and coping. Questionnaires were administered during hospitalization and 3 months after the burn including the Impact of Event Scale-Revised for posttraumatic stress symptoms (intrusion, avoidance, arousal) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for mood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anxiety, depressive, and avoidant symptoms at 3 months were highly predicted by baseline levels of these symptoms and avoidant coping. The life threat at the burn event predicted intrusive and arousal symptoms, and coping by self-control predicted less intrusive symptoms. Burn severity was not predictive of psychological health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coping style, life threat during the accident, and early symptoms are strong predictors of psychopathology after a burn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience Psychiatry, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. mimmie.willebrand@plastik.uu.se
authors.forename: Mimmie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willebrand
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekselius
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden