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A Web-Based Early Intervention Can Prevent Long-Term PTS Reactions in Children With High Initial Distress Following
Justin A Kenardy1,2, Catherine M Cox2, Felicity L Brown1
1School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Insights
A preventative intervention for children after accidental injury is most effective for those with high initial distress. This early intervention reduces trauma symptoms in high-risk children compared to standard care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Trauma and Injury Research
- Child Mental Health
Background:
- Accidental injuries in children can lead to significant psychological distress.
- Early intervention is crucial for mitigating long-term mental health consequences.
- Identifying risk factors can optimize treatment targeting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of a preventative information provision intervention for children post-accidental injury.
- To assess the impact of initial traumatic distress on treatment response.
- To determine if high initial distress is a key factor for intervention success.
Main Methods:
- A control group (n=28) and an intervention group (n=31) were compared.
- Child traumatic stress outcomes were measured at baseline and 6 months.
- Multiple hierarchical regression analyses examined the moderation effect of initial distress on treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- The interaction between treatment provision and initial posttraumatic stress significantly predicted 6-month outcomes.
- Children with high initial distress in the control group showed increased trauma symptoms.
- Children with high initial distress in the intervention group had significantly lower trauma symptoms at follow-up compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- A preventative early intervention is most beneficial for children experiencing high initial distress following accidental injury.
- Targeting interventions based on initial distress levels can enhance treatment efficacy.
- This approach may help optimize resource allocation for pediatric mental health services.
Abstract:
The present study explored the targeting of a preventative information provision intervention delivered to children following accidental injury by assessing the impact of initial traumatic distress on response to treatment. Analyses were based on baseline and 6-month outcome of child traumatic stress in a control (n = 28) and an intervention group (n = 31). Moderation of treatment outcome by initial levels of child traumatic stress was assessed through multiple hierarchical regression analyses. Results indicated the interaction between treatment provision and initial level of posttraumatic stress significantly predicted 6-month outcome (β = -.42, p = .019). When initial distress was high, children in the control group demonstrated an increase in trauma symptoms, and had significantly higher trauma symptoms at follow-up than those in the treatment group (d = 0.94, p = .008). When initial distress was not elevated, no significant differences were noted between the groups. These results indicate that a preventative early intervention may be best targeted at children presenting with the specific risk factor of high initial distress.
