PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS: AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY AND A PREVENTION EXPERIMENT

PSYCHISCHE SCHADE DOOR ONGEVALLEN; EEN SIGNALERINGSSTUDIE EN EEN EXPERIMENTEEL PREVENTIEPROJECT

This study deals with the psychological consequences of serious traffic accidents, a topic which until recently has largely been neglected both in research and in mental health care. It is assumed that from a psychological point of view the experience of a serious accident is related to other unexpected extreme stress events such as acts of violence, disasters and combat stress. They are all psychologically characterized by extreme powerlessness, acute disruption of basic assumptions and beliefs and extreme distress. Research literature on this subject shows that some of the victims experience serious problems in coping with events like this. Recently these problems have become known as "Post traumatic Stress Disorders" (PTSD). The two principal goals of this study are: (1) an explorative study of the psychological consequences of traffic accidents, and (2) an outcome study of an experimental secondary prevention programme for traffic accident victims. The second objective attempts both to dissiminate the findings of this research and to find out whether a social willingness exists to improve the position of traffic accident victims. This study is based on previous Dutch research on psychotrauma, in which a theoretical perspective was formulated on traumatic events and their consequences in terms of individual coping reactions. Results, however tentative, lead to the conclusion that, although some victims seem to need some kind of help, a general prevention programme for all persons involved in serious traffic accidents probably is not justified. Further research should concentrate on the development and improvement of screening instruments and diagnostic tools, so that early signs and symptoms of future ptsd requiring help or treatment in any way, can be identified from milder signs and symptoms the victim can cope with himself or with help of his own support system. (TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Instituut voor Psychotrauma

  Justus van Effenstraat 52BIS
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Authors:
  • Hofman, M C
• Publication Date: 1990

Language

• Dutch

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 227 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Psychological aspects; Stress (Psychology); Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Treatment
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00609424
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 30 1991 12:00AM