[Characterization of injured child psychology-a case-control study]

To study psychologic features of accidentally injured children to provide basis for application of psychologic intervening measures.

Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) and Achenback child behavior capacity list (CBCL) (list for parents) were used to test accidentally injured children 7 - 11 years of age who were hospitalized (injury group) and healthy children (control group). Each group was composed of 81 cases.

(1) Scores of P, E and N branch capacity lists in EPQ of injury group were all higher than those of control group (P < 0.05 or < 0.001). But the score of L branch capacity of control group was higher than that of injury group (P < 0.001). (2) Boys of injury group in seven factors of restlessness, violation of discipline, attack, harmful contact, schizoid anxiety, depression and body complaint and girls of injury group in seven factors of restlessness, cruelty, attack, depression, body complaint, social flinching and violation of discipline had higher scores than those in control group did (P < 0.01). (3) Detectable rate of behavior problems of injury group was 32.09% (26/81), higher than that of control group [11.11% (9/81), P < 0.001]. The odds ratio (OR) was 3.78, 95% CI was 1.66 approximately 8.59 (P < 0.01). The behavior factor had a lower sensitivity (32.1%) and a higher specificity (88.9%) and lower positive result value (74.3%). (4) Average CBCL score of boys in injury group (39.84 +/- 10.99) was higher than that of girl in injury group (34.26 +/- 10.43, P < 0.05). Boys in two factors of violation of discipline and attack, girls in factor of depression factor M had higher score than the opposite sex subjects did (P < 0.05 or 0.01). (5) Average CBCL score (37.62 +/- 11.03) of injury group was higher than that of control group (17.77 +/- 12.12, P < 0.001). Logistic multiple factor analysis showed that boys' accidentally injured factors were attack, restlessness, violation of discipline, and girls' accidentally injured factors were attack, violation of discipline and depression.

Accidentally injured children have more psychologic problems in character and behavior. Psychologic education should be given to reduce incidence of accidental injury to children.