Experiences of guilt, shame and blame in those affected by burns: A qualitative systematic review

Abstract

From the findings of the literature searches and the post-burn experiences described in this review there is a gap in the psychological care for burn survivors and their caregivers. This is specifically relevant around issues of parental guilt and blame, ruminations of guilt and shame as well as body image. These findings may not be new to burns professionals but the key message is that management of these issues fall short of delivering comprehensive post trauma care. Identifying and highlighting the importance of residual psychosocial problems will ultimately influence positive outcomes for burn survivors.

Challenges Facing Women Survivors of Self-Immolation in the Kurdish Regions of Iran: A Qualitative Study

“…Low self-esteem and difficulty adapting to their new appearance were new findings in the study that have not been studied in previous research on suicide and self-immolation. In the study of Kornhaber et al, shame, regret, and guilt were other experiences that survivors of burn injuries experienced (46). In the studies by Hunter et al and Cox et al, victims of burn injuries were very concerned about their appearance and also had negative perceptions about their body (45,47).…”

The Prevalence and Course of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Partners of Burn Survivors

“…Likewise, the burn literature describes guilt, and, to a lesser extent anger, as common reactions to burns in family members [e.g. 2,25,26]. Empirical evidence on the relation between guilt, anger and PTSD symptoms in relatives of burn survivors comes almost entirely from the pediatric burn literature [8,18,19,21,[27][28][29].…”

“…Rumination involves a recurrent focus on the causes and consequences of the trauma and related 'what-if' questions [32] and may be a way to avoid thinking about traumatic memories and associated thoughts and feelings [33,34], thereby maintaining PTSD [30,35]. Negative emotions such as guilt have been linked to rumination in parents of children with burns, underscoring the relevance to investigate this maladaptive coping style in family members of burn survivors [25].…”

The importance of mental health considerations for critical care burns patients

“…Mental health issues for critical care patients have important consequences for care, recovery and follow‐up (Kornhaber, Childs, & Cleary, ; Kornhaber, Haik, Sayers, Escott, & Cleary, ). Burn injuries and treatment can be both physically and psychologically traumatic.…”