Self-blame, compliance, and distress among burn patients

This study addressed self-blame and adaptation by using data collected from 49 patients hospitalized for the treatment of acute burn wounds. Nurses and physical therapists rated patients' compliance with the therapeutic activities essential for proper healing, and they rated pain behavior. After controlling for burn severity and time since admission, regression analyses showed that behavioral self-blame for the burn accident was a significant predictor of poorer compliance with nurses, more pain behavior, and greater depression. People with a prior psychiatric history were also more depressed and more likely to blame themselves for the accident. These data are contrasted with research on the adaptive features of self-blame.