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A Pilot Study to Explore the Effect of Symptom Monitoring in Children and Adolescents with Posttraumatic Stress Reactions following Road Traffic Accidents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2008

Emma Hardy  and
Paul Stallard
Emma Hardy
Affiliation:
University of Bath, UK
Paul Stallard*
Affiliation:
University of Bath, UK
*
Reprint requests to Paul Stallard, University of Bath, Mental Health Research and Development Unit, Level 7 Wessex House, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Each year a large number of children and adolescents develop significant posttraumatic symptoms after being involved in road traffic accidents (RTA). Consequently there is a need to develop effective interventions to prevent or minimize such reactions. The use of symptom monitoring with adults has found promising results. This pilot study explores the use of symptom monitoring with children and young people involved in RTAs. Twelve young people who met criteria on screening questionnaires for significant posttraumatic symptoms completed symptom monitoring diaries. Following completion of a diary once a day for 3 weeks, 3/12 children (25%) fell below criteria, suggesting significant posttraumatic symptoms. Feedback about self-monitoring was generally positive and suggests that symptom monitoring may be a helpful yet simple intervention for use with child trauma victims.

Keywords

Children and young peopleposttraumatic symptomssymptom monitoringroad traffic accidents
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 36 , Issue 4: Anxiety of Childhood and Adolescence , July 2008 , pp. 431 - 435
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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