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The role of maladaptive appraisals in child acute stress reactions
Author(s) -
Salmon Karen,
Sinclair Emma,
Bryant Richard A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1348/014466506x160704
Subject(s) - psychopathology , psychology , acute stress disorder , depression (economics) , cognition , psychological intervention , vulnerability (computing) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , posttraumatic stress , computer security , computer science , economics , macroeconomics
Objective To test the prediction of cognitive models of trauma that negative, catastrophic appraisals central to the development of psychopathological stress reactions. Design A cross‐sectional, concurrent design was used. Methods Sixty‐six children (aged 7–13 years), who were hospitalized after traumatic injury were assessed within 4 weeks of their trauma for acute stress disorder, depression, and administered the Child Post‐traumatic Cognitions Inventory (cPTCI). Parental acute stress was also assessed. Results Children's negative appraisals of their ongoing vulnerability accounted for 44% of the variance of acute stress reactions in children. Injury severity, depression, age, and parental acute stress levels did not account for significant additional variance. Conclusions The findings provide support for cognitive models of trauma adaptation and highlight the importance of assessing children's appraisals of their traumatic experience in order to develop effective interventions.