Boersma-van Dam Elise, van de Schoot Rens, Geenen Rinie, Engelhard Iris M, Van Loey Nancy E
Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Department of Behavioural Research, Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2021 May 14;12(1):1909282. doi: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1909282.
: Partners of burn survivors may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in response to the potential life threatening nature of the burn event and the burn survivor's medical treatment. : This longitudinal study examined the prevalence, course and potential predictors of partners' PTSD symptoms up to 18 months post-burn. : Participants were 111 partners of adult burn survivors. In a multi-centre study, PTSD symptoms were assessed with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised during the acute phase and subsequently at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months post-burn. Partners' appraisal of life threat, anger, guilt and level of rumination were assessed as potential predictors of PTSD symptoms in an exploratory piecewise latent growth model. : Acute PTSD symptoms in the clinical range were reported by 30% of the partners, which decreased to 4% at 18 months post-burn. Higher acute PTSD symptoms were related to perceived life threat and higher levels of anger, guilt, and rumination. Over time, mean symptom levels decreased, especially in partners with high levels of acute PTSD symptoms, perceived life threat and rumination. From three months onward, PTSD symptoms decreased less in partners of more severely burned survivors. At 18 months post-burn, higher levels of PTSD symptoms were related to higher acute PTSD symptoms and more severe burns. : One in three partners reported clinical levels of acute PTSD symptoms, of which the majority recovered over time. Perceived life threat, feelings of anger and guilt, and rumination may indicate the presence of acute PTSD symptoms, whereas more severe burns predict long-term PTSD symptom levels. The results highlight the need to screen for acute PTSD symptoms and offer psychological help to partners to alleviate acute elevated stress levels if indicated.
烧伤幸存者的伴侣可能会因烧伤事件潜在的生命威胁性质以及烧伤幸存者的医疗救治而出现创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状。本纵向研究调查了烧伤后长达18个月内伴侣PTSD症状的患病率、病程及潜在预测因素。研究对象为111名成年烧伤幸存者的伴侣。在一项多中心研究中，在急性期以及随后烧伤后3个月、6个月、12个月和18个月时，使用事件影响量表修订版评估PTSD症状。在一个探索性的分段潜在增长模型中，评估伴侣对生命威胁的认知、愤怒、内疚和沉思程度，作为PTSD症状的潜在预测因素。30%的伴侣报告有临床范围内的急性PTSD症状，在烧伤后18个月时这一比例降至4%。较高的急性PTSD症状与感知到的生命威胁以及更高水平的愤怒、内疚和沉思有关。随着时间推移，平均症状水平下降，尤其是急性PTSD症状水平高、感知到生命威胁和沉思程度高的伴侣。从三个月起，烧伤更严重的幸存者的伴侣的PTSD症状下降幅度较小。在烧伤后18个月，较高水平的PTSD症状与较高的急性PTSD症状和更严重的烧伤有关。三分之一的伴侣报告有急性PTSD症状的临床水平，其中大多数随时间恢复。感知到的生命威胁、愤怒和内疚感以及沉思可能表明存在急性PTSD症状，而更严重的烧伤预示着长期PTSD症状水平。结果强调了筛查急性PTSD症状的必要性，并在有指征时为伴侣提供心理帮助，以缓解急性升高的压力水平。
