title: Predictors of chronic trauma-related symptoms in a community sample of New Zealand motor vehicle accident survivors.
abstract: This study examined 1,500 New Zealand community-residing adults for involvement in serious motor vehicle accident (MVA) and the development of trauma-related symptomatology. The incidence of MVA was 11 %. More than 50 % of the accident victim sub-sample reported hyperarousal, with exaggerated startle, intrusive recollections, situational avoidance, emotional reactivity, and cognitive avoidance. The high incidence of trauma-related symptoms is noteworthy given 59 % of victims reported sustaining no or mild accident injury, and only 27 % were admitted to hospital for severe injury. Trauma-related symptoms were related to measures of injury severity, psychological and social functioning, and persistent medical problems. Pre- and post-accident factors, that is, experience of additional trauma, experience of stressful life events and post-accident social contact were the most important predictors of trauma-related symptoms severity. This study discusses the importance of examining trauma-related symptoms rather than using categorical diagnostic criteria (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) as a sole means of characterizing the psychological impact of MVA.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. N.Kazantzis@latrobe.edu.au
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kazantzis
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kennedy-Moffat
authors.forename: Ross A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Flett
authors.forename: Alexandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Petrik
authors.forename: Nigel R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Bronwyn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Castell
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices