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Post-traumatic growth in parents after a child's admission to intensive care: maybe Nietzsche was right?

Gillian Colville1, Penelope Cream

  • 1Paediatric Psychology Service, St George's Hospital, London, SW17 0QT, UK. gcolvill@sgul.ac.uk

Intensive Care Medicine
|February 20, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Most parents of children in pediatric intensive care report significant post-traumatic growth. This positive change was linked to moderate post-traumatic stress levels, not high or low.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Pediatrics
  • Trauma Studies

Background:

  • This study investigated post-traumatic growth (PTG) in parents whose children underwent intensive care.
  • A cohort of 50 parents from a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) participated in a prospective, cross-sectional study.

Discussion:

  • 88% of parents reported significant PTG after their child's PICU stay.
  • PTG was positively correlated with post-traumatic stress, but in a curvilinear manner.
  • Moderate levels of post-traumatic stress were most strongly associated with higher PTG.

Key Insights:

  • Post-traumatic growth is a significant phenomenon for parents experiencing pediatric intensive care.
  • Ventilated children and older children were associated with higher parental PTG.
  • The relationship between PTG and post-traumatic stress is complex, peaking at moderate stress levels.

Outlook:

  • Further research should explore the mechanisms underlying PTG in this population.
  • Interventions could be developed to support parents in navigating trauma and fostering growth.
  • Understanding PTG can inform clinical support for families in pediatric critical care settings.
Abstract

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