Victims of traffic accidents: incidence and prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

The psychological consequences of traffic accidents have been rarely the subject of research. Responses of serious traffic accidents and the effects of an outreach program for victims were studied in a research project. Subjects selected from police registers participated in a preventive counseling program or in a monitoring group. Foci of this study were the way in which the subjects coped with the event and the symptoms that might develop. Measurements were carried out 1 month and 6 months after the accident. The results indicate that an average of about 10% of the victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders and that although counseling is appreciated by victims, it could not be proven that it was effective in preventing disorders.