Psychological factors associated with response to maxillofacial injury and its treatment.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated symptoms of acute stress disorder (ASD), satisfaction with appearance postsurgery, and satisfaction with care in patients with maxillofacial injury at their first postsurgical physician visit. To determine the best predictors of patients' ASD symptoms and satisfaction, data also were obtained on the patients' strategies for coping with the stress of the injury, on the patients' and doctors' interpersonal appraisals of each other, and on the doctors' participatory behavior during the visits.


METHODS
A total of 47 patients who had sustained traumatic maxillofacial injury requiring emergency medical/surgical treatment were administered self-report measures immediately before and after their first postsurgical visit 10 to 12 days after trauma exposure. Doctors completed self-report measures after the visit and evaluated the patients' severity of injury.


RESULTS
Patients experienced high levels of ASD in the short-term period after surgery. Use of emotion-focused strategies by patients to cope with stress was associated with more ASD symptoms but better satisfaction with facial appearance. The more severely injured patients were less satisfied with their appearance and were viewed by their doctors as being more interpersonally controlling during the postsurgical visit.


CONCLUSIONS
Closer attention by doctors to patients' interpersonal behavior may aid in early identification of those patients with maxillofacial injury who may experience longer-term social problems related to their altered facial appearance.
Auerbach
Stephen M
SM
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA. sauerbac@vcu.edu
Laskin
Daniel M
DM
Kiesler
Donald J
DJ
Wilson
Michael
M
Rajab
Bashar
B
Campbell
Thomas A
TA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000209:etiology; D001828:Body Image; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012647:Self-Assessment; D040701:Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires