Trajectories of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Significant Others of Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Pielmaier, Laura; Milek, Anne; Nußbeck, Fridtjof W.; Walder, Bernhard; Maercker, Andreas

doi:10.1080/15325024.2012.719342

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Recent research on disclosure in PTSD incorporated methodological advancements of longitudinal as well as dyadic assessments. Pielmaier, Milek, Nussbeck, Walder, and Maercker ( 2013 ) studied patients and their significant others after severe traumatic brain injury at 3, 6, and 12 months post-injury. They measured three aspects of dysfunctional disclosure tendencies (reluctance to talk, urge to talk, emotional overreactions) based on previous research (Mueller, Mörgeli, & Maercker, 2008 ).…”

Section: The Social–interpersonal Framework Model Of Ptsdmentioning

confidence: 99%

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD^†

Maercker

Hecker

2016

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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104

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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the very few mental disorders that requires by definition an environmental context—a traumatic event or events—as a precondition for diagnosis. Both trauma sequelae and recovery always occur in the context of social–interpersonal contexts, for example, in interaction with a partner, family, the community, and the society. The present paper elaborates and extends the social–interpersonal framework model of PTSD. This was developed to complement other intrapersonally focused models of PTSD, which emphasize alterations in an individual's memory, cognitions, or neurobiology. Four primary reasons for broadening the perspective from the individual to the interpersonal–societal contexts are discussed. The three layers of the model (social affects, close relationships, and culture and society) are outlined. We further discuss additional insights and benefits of the social–interpersonal perspective for the growing field of research regarding resilience after traumatic experiences. The paper closes with an outlook on therapy approaches and interventions considering this broader social–interpersonal perspective on PTSD.

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Section: The Social–interpersonal Framework Model Of Ptsdmentioning

confidence: 99%

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD^†

Maercker

Hecker

2016

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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104

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“…Therefore, one cannot rule out the possibility that some of the PTS symptoms covary with the assessment of sTBI symptoms. However, apart from the statistical control by using MLM, evaluations of PTS and TBI symptoms were conducted by licensed clinical (neuro-)psychologists who peer reviewed each other's assessments in cases of ambivalence (yielding a descriptive measure of interrater reliability) (38). Notably, findings show that primary outcomes of TBI and PTSD are both relevant for understanding the biopsychosocial sequelae of sTBI (23,34,76).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Rated Health Among Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Close Relatives: The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Tsur

Haller

2021

Psychosom Med

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Objective: Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is accompanied by significant declines in self-rated health (SRH). Although such deteriorations in SRH are related to various consequences of sTBI, the effect of posttraumatic reactions (i.e., posttraumatic stress [PTS] symptoms) has been tested insufficiently to date, especially among civilians. The present investigation is based on Trajectories of Recovery After Severe Traumatic brain injury-Matters In families (TRAST-MI), a unique study among civilians with sTBI and their families. Previous research revealed that civilian sTBI has effects beyond the injured patient, influencing their close relatives as well. The aim of this study was to assess the association between PTS symptoms and SRH among patients with civilian sTBI and their close relatives. Methods: Patients with sTBI (assessed by an Abbreviated Injury Scale of the head region score >3) and their close relatives participated in TRAST-MI. One hundred twenty-six patient-relative dyads were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months after the injury. Results: Multilevel modeling revealed that patients' PTS symptoms were associated with consequent SRH (slope = 0.42; p < .001), and relatives' PTS symptoms were associated with their respective SRH (slope = 0.2; p = .012). Conclusions:The findings of this study reveal that SRH of both patients with sTBI and their relatives are negatively affected by their own PTS symptoms. These findings underline the understanding that sTBI is not merely a medical trauma but rather a comprehensive psychosocial trauma, which has consequences for the whole family system.

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“…Mean scores were calculated to represent the relative's PTS symptoms severity. The German version of IES-R used in this study showed good psychometric properties (Maercker & Schutzwohl, 1998;Pielmaier et al, 2013).…”

Section: Head Injury Severitymentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Severe Traumatic brain injury inherently involves the experience of a life-threatening trauma, which may be accompanied by a posttraumatic reaction among patients as well as close relatives (e.g., Campbell et al, 2009;Combs et al, 2015). More than 50% of relatives suffer from clinically relevant Posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms (Bosma et al, 2018;Pielmaier, Milek, Nussbeck, Walder, & Maercker, 2013) and research on secondary traumatization reveals the "contagious" effects of PTSD for close relatives (e.g., Ben Arzi, Solomon, & Dekel, 2000). That is, living with a person who suffers from PTSD may have a spillover effect on close relatives' PTS symptoms (e.g., Levin, Bachem, & Solomon, 2017;Levin, Greene, & Solomon, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and Mental Health and Functioning Among Traumatic Brain Injury Close Relatives: The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Tsur

Haller

2019

Family Process

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Severe Traumatic brain injury (sTBI) often instigates widespread long-lasting disability and is accompanied by extensive rehabilitation. Unsurprisingly, sTBI also holds malignant consequences for patients' close relatives. The burden caused by the injury and its severity explains some of the ramifications for the relatives. Additionally, some findings demonstrate that patients with sTBI and their relatives develop posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. However, although the link between PTS symptoms and physical and mental health is well-documented in literature, the effect of PTS symptoms on relatives of patients with sTBI has barely been examined. This study examines the influence of PTS symptoms of patients with sTBI and their relatives on the physical and mental health and functioning of the relatives. Patients who sustained a severe sTBI (Abbreviated Injury Scale of the head region > 3) and close relatives were included in a multi-center, prospective cohort study (TRAST-MI). One-hundred patients and their relatives were assessed at 2, 6, and 12 months post injury. Outcome variables included health-related quality of life (SF-12) as well as emotional, cognitive, interpersonal, and total functioning (PCRS). Relatives' physical health was predicted by relatives' PTS symptoms (Slope=À1.76; p = .043), and mental health was predicted by both patients' (Slope=À2.77; p = .034) and relatives' (Slope=À6.59; p < .001) PTS symptoms. Functioning level was only predicted by patients' PTS symptoms (Slope=À.25; p < .001). The findings emphasize that TBI should be considered a comprehensive traumatic experience reaching further than mere physical damage to the brain and its direct consequences, affecting the injured individual and close relatives.

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Trajectories of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Significant Others of Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Cited by 6 publications

References 54 publications

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD^†

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD^†

Self-Rated Health Among Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Close Relatives: The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Physical and Mental Health and Functioning Among Traumatic Brain Injury Close Relatives: The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

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Trajectories of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Significant Others of Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Cited by 6 publications

References 54 publications

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD†

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD†

Self-Rated Health Among Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Close Relatives: The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Physical and Mental Health and Functioning Among Traumatic Brain Injury Close Relatives: The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD^†

Broadening perspectives on trauma and recovery: a socio-interpersonal view of PTSD^†