Anxiety, acute- and post-traumatic stress symptoms following involvement in traffic crashes

Anxiety and traumatic stress symptoms are common post-crash. This study documents generalised anxiety responses post-crash, and examines the association between Acute Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with personality and coping styles. Sixty-two patients aged 18-60 admitted to hospital were interviewed prior to discharge, at 2-months and at 6-8 months post-crash. Anxiety symptoms were common, with 55% of participants experiencing moderate-severe levels prior to discharge, with this decreasing to 11% and 6.5% at 2-months and 6-8 months post-discharge. Females reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and acute distress. Neuroticism and generalised coping styles were associated with acute stress responses but not PTSD. These results have important theoretical and practical implications, and indicate that females are at risk of poorer acute anxiety outcomes following injury.