In light of Delahanty et al.'s (1997) identification of attribution of responsibility for a motor vehicle accident (MVA) as a powerful determinant of initial level of distress from the trauma and of early remission of PTSD, the authors re-examined data from Blanchard and Hickling's (1997) prospective follow-up of 158 MVA survivors. Despite differences between the two samples (Delahanty sample recruited from hospital 2-3 weeks post-MVA and predominantly male; the authors' sample recruited from outpatient care 104 months post-MVA and predominenantly female) Delahanty's findings were replicated; those with PTSD who blame themselves for the MVA are less symptomatic initially and recover more rapidly in the first 6 months than those with PTSD who blame another party for the accident. (A)
Abstract