title: Self-evaluative appraisals of coping capability and posttraumatic distress following motor vehicle accidents.
abstract: This study tested the importance of coping self-efficacy (CSE) perceptions and change in perceptions of CSE for recovery from motor vehicle accident (MVA) trauma. Data were collected 7 days following the accident (Time 1; n = 163), 1 month after the accident (Time 2; n = 91), and 3 months after the accident (Time 3; n = 70). Early changes in CSE (i.e., from Time 1 to Time 2) predicted posttraumatic distress at 3 months after MVA trauma, even after controlling for Time 1 or Time 2 posttraumatic distress and other trauma-related variables (i.e., accident responsibility, litigation involvement, and peritraumatic dissociation). Early changes in CSE perceptions, however, neither moderated nor mediated the effects of early posttraumatic distress (Time 1) on 3-month posttraumatic distress. Time 2 CSE levels, however, did mediate the relationship between acute posttraumatic distress (Time 1) and 3-month posttraumatic distress (Time 3). These findings highlight the importance of early interventions aimed at strengthening self-efficacy after MVA trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Trauma, Health, and Hazards Center, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, CO 80918-7150, USA. benight@uccs.edu
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Benight
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cieslak
authors.forename: Ivan R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Molton
authors.forename: Lesley E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001143:Arousal; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult