Psychological effects of severe burn injuries
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Updated: Nov 7, 2026

Burn Injury-Induced Pain and Depression-Like Behavior in Mice
Published on: September 29, 2021
D R Patterson1, J J Everett, C H Bombardier
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Abstract:
Severe burn injuries provide researchers with an opportunity to study the effects of painful but usually transient trauma on psychological functioning. To that end, this article presents a review of the 3 main areas of this body of literature: (a) premorbid characteristics of people who sustain severe burn injuries, (b) psychological reactions during hospitalization, and (c) long-term adjustment. The general implications of these studies are discussed and then used to illuminate the circumstances under which individuals suffer the most from this type of trauma, the effects of such injuries on personality function, and how meaningful units of measurements can be defined. Potential clinical applications are also described.
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