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Psychological Response to Amputation as a Function of Age and Time Since Amputation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Robert G. Frank
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Rusk Rehabilitation Center, One Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
Javad H. Kashani
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia
Soraya R. Kashani
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia
Stephen A. Wonderlich
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia
Robert L. Umlauf
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia
Glenn S. Ashkanazi
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia

Summary

Much of what is known about the psychological response to amputation is derived from studies of veterans. Most recent amputees come from a different group; they are typically older and have experienced medical problems prior to their amputation. In order to investigate the effects of age and time since amputation on psychological response, 66 amputees were assessed by the Symptom Checklist-90, Beck Depression Inventory and interviewed. When classified by time since amputation and by age, the results indicate that older amputees exhibited less depression and fewer psychological symptoms: in contrast, younger amputees evidenced increased depression and psychological symptomatology the longer the time since their amputation.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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