The role of health attributions, self-efficacy and causal attributions in recovery from traumatic injury

Each year many motor vehicle collisions, industrial accidents and assaults occur that result in traumatic injury. While these types of injuries have been implicated in the development of PTSD and depression, the incidence of these disorders varies. Risk factors for vulnerability to development of PTSD and depression have been studied in relation to demographic (age, sex, etc.) and objective (severity and type of injury etc.) variables. Recently, research has begun to focus on cognitive factors that may be associated with risk for developing PTSD and depression as well. Cognitive factors such as health attributions, self-efficacy and causal attribution for the accident have been found to be associated with psychological wellbeing, PTSD, depression, etc. following injury or illness. However, the differential impact of health attributions, self-efficacy and casual attributions for the traumatic event as risk factors for developing PTSD and depression following traumatic injury have not been assessed. This study explored the relationship of health attributions, self-efficacy and causal attribution for the accident obtained shortly after traumatic injury to subsequent PTSD and depression symptoms at three-month follow-up interval. Results revealed that self-efficacy was negatively associated with both PTSD and depression accounting for 5.2% and 5.8% respectively of the variance in symptom reporting, while external causal attribution for the traumatic injury was positively associated with both PTSD and depression, accounting for 4.3% and 6% of the variance in reported symptoms. Addition of Health Locus of Control scales accounted for an additional 10% of the variance reported in PTSD scores, with Chance and Powerful Other Scales having significant positive correlations with PTSD symptoms