Predictors of coping efficacy, negative moods and post‐traumatic stress syndrome following major trauma

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to test relationships among injury appraisals, coping, social support and outcomes of coping efficacy, mood states and post-traumatic stress syndrome. A purposive sample of 152 hospitalized patients a week following major trauma was recruited from two trauma centres. The measures included the modified Ways of Coping Scale; the brief Social Support Questionnaire; the brief Profile of Mood State; the Impact of Event Scale; and selected demographic and injury related variables. Data were analyzed by multivariate statistics. The results indicated that perceived controllability, satisfaction with social support, wishful-thinking coping and problem-focused coping were the significant predictors for coping efficacy; perceived stressfulness, problem-focused coping and wishful thinking explained a significant amount of variance in mood states; avoidance coping and wishful-thinking coping were predictors for post-traumatic stress syndrome. The moderating effects of emotion-focused coping at high and medium levels were identified.

Coping Strategies in Daily Life as Protective and Risk Factors for Post Traumatic Stress in Motor Vehicle Accident Survivors

“…A study by Bolton, Glenn, Orsillo, Roemer, and Litz (2003) reported a significant negative association of selfdisclosure with PTSD symptom severity in Somalia peacekeepers. On the other hand, an avoidant coping style and wishful thinking were the best predictors for developing PTSD symptoms (Bryant & Harvey, 1995;Dougall, Ursano, Posluszny, Fullerton, & Baum, 2001;Tsay, Halstead, & McCrone, 2001).…”

Impact of emotional approach coping and hope on PTSD and depression symptoms in a trauma exposed sample of Veterans receiving outpatient VA mental health care services

“…Coping styles employed subsequent to traumatic stressors may also play a role in either increasing risk of poor adjustment (e.g., heavy drinking or drug use to cope; Lazarus, & Folkman, 1984) or promoting resilience and decreasing an individuals' risk of developing or maintaining PTSD and depression. There has been some consensus within the literature that emotion-focused strategies are maladaptive by virtue of their generally positive association with poorer mental health outcomes, such as greater PTSD and depression symptom severity, following trauma exposure (e.g., Baschnagel, Gudmundsdottir, Hawk, & Beck, 2009;Blake, Cook, & Keane, 1992;Bryant & Harvey, 1995;Fairbank, Hansen, & Fitterling, 1991;Gil, 2005;Glass, Flory, Hankin, Kloos, & Turecki, 2009;Krause, Kaltman, Goodman, & Dutton, 2008;Nezu & Carnevale, 1987;Solomon, Mikulincer, Avitzur, 1988;Taft, Resick, Panuzio, Vogt, & Mechanic, 2007;Tiet et al, 2006;Tsay, Halstead, & McCrone, 2001). However, this association may be in part due to inadequate conceptualizations of emotion-focused coping, which have historically aggregated diverse strategies that encourage disparate ways of managing stressors, with some strategies promoting approach (e.g., seeking emotional support) and others avoidance (e.g., denial).…”

Effects of anxiety on TNF-α levels during psychological stress

“…Studies do demonstrate that the impact of stress generated by a situation on the response of immune system differs depending on factors like coping skill [29] and personality [17]. In contrast to other studies, the current study examined SAI scores as well as cytokine levels prior to the examination, which is associated with different degrees of anxiety, which also may have been influenced by the individual coping mechanisms.…”

“…An individual's coping skill is a modifiable factor that helps the individual to deal with stress effectively [17]. The coping skills adapted by individuals vary substantially, leading to a change in the level of stress generated [17].…”

“…The coping skills adapted by individuals vary substantially, leading to a change in the level of stress generated [17]. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) is a key cytokine, which plays a critical role in tumor immunity as well as in immunity against infection.…”