Assessment of sleep quality, post-traumatic stress disorder, and locus of control in motor vehicle accident survivors

Abstract

BackgroundHigh incidence of Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVAs) in Saudi Arabia and the established link between MVA and related psychological factors necessitate a survey of the prevalence of MVA and associative factors. AimsTo investigate the relationship between sleep patterns, locus of control, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among MVA survivors at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on 334 patients with MVA admitted cases, and patients who visited outpatient clinics. In addition to basic demographic information and driving history, PTSD severity, sleep quality, and locus of control were assessed using a validated PTSD Checklist -Civilian Version (PCL-C), Rotter's Locus of Control Scale (LCS), and items taken from the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. Association between the variables was analysed using the Chi-Square test. ResultsPrevalence of moderate to severe PTSD was 39.2 per cent. No association between PTSD severity and involvement in an MVA was found. Women had significantly higher scores PTSD lower internal locus of control scores. The majority of the respondents reported fairly good to very good sleep quality, although 18 per cent admitted to having a driving impairment or hindrance in completing other daily activities due to inadequate sleep in the past month. Regarding trouble staying awake while driving, a significant correlation was found with powerful others (p=0.026) and chance (0.019). ConclusionNo correlation was found between PTSD severity, poor sleep, locus of control and MVA in this study, although high rates of PTSD necessitate valid identification and treatment of patients at risk.

What Are the Predictors of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among Road Traffic Accident Survivors

“…The reason can be that they included studies with correlation analysis. The possible causality can be a lower ability to cope with stressful situations in females and higher vulnerability (AlShardan et al, 2020; Wrenger et al, 2008). Besides experiencing more dissociative reactions by women, differences in response mechanisms to trauma and different self-schemas between males and females can explain this (Bryant and Harvey, 2003).…”