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Parents' posttraumatic stress after burns in their school-aged child: A prospective study

Marthe R Egberts1, Rens van de Schoot2, Rinie Geenen3

  • 1Association of Dutch Burn Centres.

Health Psychology : Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association
|December 9, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Childhood burn injuries significantly impact parents, causing acute psychological distress. Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) persist in some parents, highlighting the need for integrated parental support in burn care.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Pediatric Burn Injury
  • Trauma Studies

Background:

  • Childhood burn injuries represent a significant traumatic event for families.
  • Parental psychological well-being is crucial for child recovery and family adaptation post-injury.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the trajectory and predictors of parental posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) following a child's burn injury.
  • To identify factors influencing parental psychological distress in the aftermath of pediatric burns.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving 118 families with children aged 8–18 years.
  • Parents (111 mothers, 91 fathers) completed the Impact of Event Scale (IES) at multiple time points postburn (1, 3, 12, 18 months).
  • Multilevel regression analysis examined the relationship between perceived threat, guilt, anger, and parental PTSS.

Main Results:

  • High rates of clinically significant PTSS were observed in mothers (48%) and fathers (26%) within the first month postburn.
  • PTSS significantly decreased over 18 months, but a subgroup of parents retained clinical symptoms.
  • Perceived life threat, guilt, and anger were significant predictors of parental PTSS, particularly in mothers.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric burn injuries have a profound and acute psychological impact on parents.
  • A subset of parents experiences persistent PTSS, underscoring the need for ongoing mental health support.
  • Parental support, especially for mothers with intense emotional responses, should be integrated into burn care protocols.
Abstract

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