Avoidant coping style and post-traumatic stress following motor vehicle accidents

Predictors of post-traumatic intrusive symptomatology were studied in 56 motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors 12 months after their MVA. Measures were obtained on Ss' subjective response to the trauma, objective indices of injury severity, coping response (Coping Style Questionnaire), and post-traumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale; IES). Significant levels of intrusive and avoidance symptomatology were reported by 20% of MVA survivors. An avoidant coping style and compensation accounted for 41% of variance of IES-Intrusion scores. Findings are discussed in terms of the role of avoidance behaviour in post-traumatic adjustment.