title: Predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms in children after road traffic accidents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively assess the prevalence, course, and predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) in children after road traffic accidents (RTAs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight children (6.5-14.5 years old) were interviewed 4-6 weeks and 12 months after an RTA with the Child PTSD Reaction Index (response rate 58.6%). Their mothers (n = 60) and fathers (n = 53) were assessed with the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of moderate to severe PTSSs in children was 16.2% at 4-6 weeks, and 17.6% at 12 months. Mean PTSS scores did not decrease between the two assessments. Five children showed a delayed onset of PTSSs. Twelve mothers (20%) and six fathers (11.3%) met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 4 to 6 weeks. At 12 months, three mothers (5.7%) and no fathers met diagnostic criteria. Child PTSSs at 12 months was significantly predicted by PTSS at 4-6 weeks and by severity of father's PTSD. Age, sex, injury severity, threat appraisal, and maternal PTSD did not significantly contribute to child PTSSs at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for careful psychological assessment of children and their parents after an RTA. The possibility of delayed onset of PTSSs implies a monitoring beyond the first weeks after the accident. The impact of fathers' PTSD on child PTSSs suggests that fathers ought to be actively involved in family-based prevention and treatment interventions of child PTSSs after RTAs.
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. markus.landolt@kispi.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Markus A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Landolt
authors.forename: Margarete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vollrath
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Timm
authors.forename: Hanspeter E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gnehm
authors.forename: Felix H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Sennhauser
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology