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Brief report: children's responses to trauma- and nontrauma-related hospital admission: a comparison study
Belinda L Murray1, Justin A Kenardy, Susan H Spence
1Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, Mayne Medical School, Herston Road, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia.
Objective:
This study aims to investigate and compare psychological responses in children and parents 1 month after trauma- and nontrauma-related hospital admission.
Methods:
Two hundred and five children aged 7-16 years (and their parents) were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other psychopathology, and distress 1 month after trauma-related (Trauma Group; n = 101) and nontrauma-related hospital admission (Non-Trauma Group; n = 104).
Results:
Clinically elevated PTSD symptom levels were more prevalent in children admitted for trauma-related (18%) than nontrauma-related reasons (4%). Parents also experienced posttraumatic distress, although rates of clinically elevated symptom levels did not differ between the Trauma (11%) and Non-Trauma (8%) groups. Other pathology and distress in children and parents were comparable across groups.
Conclusions:
Children experienced greater posttraumatic distress following trauma-related hospital admission, while parents' experience of their child's hospitalization is equally distressing regardless of the reason for admission.
