Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Research Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
J Trauma Stress. 2012 Jun;25(3):280-7. doi: 10.1002/jts.21692. Epub 2012 Jun 8.
The present study describes posttraumatic stress reactions in young witnesses of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). This study investigated (a) whether witnesses of MVAs report fewer trauma symptoms than direct victims, but more than adolescents who were never exposed to an MVA; and (b) whether individual differences in sex, negative appraisal, avoidant coping, and social support account for variability in trauma symptoms beyond status as a witness as compared to a victim. Self-report data came from a community-based sample of 3,007 adolescents with an average age of 14.6 years and comprising 53% boys. Compared to direct victims of an MVA in which someone was injured, witnesses of MVAs with injury reported significantly less internalizing symptoms, such as symptoms of posttraumatic stress (d = 0.25), fear (d = 0.21), and depression (d = 0.17). Compared to adolescents who were never exposed to an MVA with injury, witnesses reported significantly more externalizing symptoms (d = 0.24). In multiple regression analyses the significant difference between witnesses and victims disappeared when sex, other stressful events, appraisals, and coping were added to the model. These findings suggest that adolescent witnesses, as well as direct victims, may be at risk for posttraumatic reactions.
本研究描述了机动车事故（MVA）年轻目击者的创伤后应激反应。本研究调查了：(a) 目击者是否报告的创伤症状比直接受害者少，但比从未接触过 MVA 的青少年多；以及 (b) 个体差异，如性别、负面评价、回避应对和社会支持，是否可以解释除了作为目击者与作为受害者相比，创伤症状的变异性。来自基于社区的 3007 名青少年的自我报告数据，平均年龄为 14.6 岁，其中 53%为男孩。与有人受伤的 MVA 直接受害者相比，有伤害的 MVA 目击者报告的内化症状（如创伤后应激症状、恐惧和抑郁）明显较少（d = 0.25、d = 0.21 和 d = 0.17）。与从未接触过有伤害的 MVA 的青少年相比，目击者报告的外化症状明显更多（d = 0.24）。在多元回归分析中，当将性别、其他压力事件、评估和应对方式纳入模型时，目击者和受害者之间的显著差异消失了。这些发现表明，青少年目击者和直接受害者都可能面临创伤后反应的风险。
