Course of traumatic stress reactions in couples after a burn event to their young child

This study examines traumatic stress reactions in couples that were followed prospectively for 18 months after a burn event to their child.

The participants included 186 mothers and 159 fathers of 198 preschool children. Parents' self-reported traumatic stress reactions were measured with the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Predictors included parental emotions and the perceived life-threatening character of the child's injury.

Rates for clinically significant symptoms (IES ≥ 26) decreased from 50% within the first month to 18% at 18 months postburn for mothers and from 27% to 6% for fathers. The decline in symptoms was not entirely linear. Mothers had higher scores than fathers, but the discrepancy in intrusion symptoms among couples diminished over the course of time. Early appraisal of life threat and emotions about the burn event were significant predictors.

Both mothers and fathers are seriously affected by a burn event of their young child. Despite a general decrease over time, a subgroup of parents is at risk for chronic symptoms. The results call for the integration of prolonged parent support in family centered pediatric burn aftercare programs.