Psychological factors predicting outcome after traumatic injury: the role of resilience

Abstract

Background: Increasingly, studies have examined the psychological impact on individuals who survive a traumatic physical injury. The primary aim of this study was to determine the stability of resilience and its association with depressive symptoms.

Methods: This study included 110 adults admitted to a Level I trauma center. Resilience and depression were measured at baseline and 12 months. Injury-related variables included Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, etiology of injury, and type of injury.

Results: Analysis revealed that resilience remained stable over 12 months regardless of injury severity, etiology, or type. Negative correlations were found between baseline resilience and 12-month depression (P < .01), as well as Glasgow Coma Scale and depression (P = .001).

Conclusions: Injured individuals with low resilience are more likely to be depressed at 12 months. Assessing resilience at the time of injury may be useful in identifying those at risk for depression 1 year later.

Keywords: Depression; Injury; Resilience; Trauma.