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Post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents with motor vehicle-related injuries

Kathleen A Zink1, Gail C McCain

  • 1Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA. zinkk0@chmcc.org

Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing : JSPN
|August 29, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Children injured in car accidents face a significant risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Parents should be informed about potential behavioral changes following such incidents.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Trauma Studies
  • Childhood Injury Research

Background:

  • Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of childhood injury.
  • Psychological responses to these injuries are understudied.
  • Understanding trauma sequelae in children is critical for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of psychological distress in children following motor vehicle-related injuries.
  • To identify risk factors associated with the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this population.
  • To inform clinical practice regarding parental guidance and support.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal, descriptive study of 143 children (ages 7-15) injured in motor vehicle incidents.
  • Parental completion of the Child Behavior Checklist Behavioral Problem Scale.
  • Child and parent interviews using the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (PTSD module) at 2 and 6 months post-injury.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-two percent of children met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
  • No significant associations were found between PTSD diagnosis and demographic factors (age, gender, race) or injury characteristics (severity, cause).
  • This suggests PTSD risk is independent of these common variables in this cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Children sustaining injuries from motor vehicle crashes are at considerable risk for developing PTSD.
  • Early identification and anticipatory guidance for parents regarding behavioral distress symptoms are essential.
  • This highlights the need for proactive mental health support for pediatric trauma survivors.
Abstract

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