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Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access published online on September 10, 2007
Journal of Pediatric Psychology, doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsm078
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Brief Report: Children's Responses to Trauma- and Nontrauma-related Hospital Admission: A Comparison Study

Belinda L. Murray, BA(Hons)1, Justin A. Kenardy, PhD1,2 and Susan H. Spence, PhD3

1Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, 2School of Psychology, University of Queensland, and 3Division of Linguistics and Psychology, Macquarie University, Australia

All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Prof. Justin Kenardy, CONROD, Level 3, Mayne Medical School, Herston Road, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia. E-mail: kenardy{at}psy.uq.edu.au


  Abstract

Objective This study aims to investigate and compare psychological responses in children and parents 1 month after trauma- and nontrauma-related hospital admission. Methods Two hundred and five children aged 7–16 years (and their parents) were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other psychopathology, and distress 1 month after trauma-related (Trauma Group; n = 101) and nontrauma-related hospital admission (Non-Trauma Group; n = 104). Results Clinically elevated PTSD symptom levels were more prevalent in children admitted for trauma-related (18%) than nontrauma-related reasons (4%). Parents also experienced posttraumatic distress, although rates of clinically elevated symptom levels did not differ between the Trauma (11%) and Non-Trauma (8%) groups. Other pathology and distress in children and parents were comparable across groups. Conclusions Children experienced greater posttraumatic distress following trauma-related hospital admission, while parents’ experience of their child's hospitalization is equally distressing regardless of the reason for admission.

Key words: children; hospital admission; illness; injury; pediatrics; posttraumatic stress disorder; trauma..

Received December 5, 2006; revision received July 26, 2007; accepted August 9, 2007


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