title: Cross-sectional and prospective associations between cognitive appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms following stroke.
abstract: This study examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between cognitive appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following stroke. While in hospital, stroke patients (n=81) completed questionnaires assessing cognitive appraisals (i.e., negative cognitions about the self, negative cognitions about the world, and self-blame) and PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms were assessed again 3 months later when all patients had been discharged from hospital (n=70). Significant correlations were found between the time 1 measures of negative cognitions about the self and the world, but not self-blame, and the severity of PTSD symptoms measured at time 1 and at time 2. Regression analyses revealed that cognitive appraisals explained a significant amount of variance in the severity of PTSD symptoms at time 1, with negative cognitions about the self-emerging as a significant predictor. In contrast, time 1 cognitive appraisals were unable to explain additional variance in time 2 PTSD severity over and above that explained by time 1 PTSD severity. The findings therefore provide only weak support for Ehlers and Clark's cognitive model of PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology Unit, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Emma Louise
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom