Parental Psychoeducation for Child PTSS After Acute Injury v.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Parental Psychoeducation Resource Addressing Child Post-Traumatic Stress Responses after Acute Injury: A Pilot Acceptability and Feasibility Trial
IRAS ID
323207
Contact name
Nimrah Afzal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
It has been estimated that around a 1/3 of children will experience a traumatic event during childhood, most commonly serious accidents that lead to hospitalisation. Around 15% of children who experience such events go onto develop post-traumatic stress disorder. For most children their families are their main source of support following trauma, therefore the way in which they are supported by their parents is likely to be an important influence on their psychological recovery. A growing body of research highlights significant associations between parental responses to child trauma and subsequent child PTSD symptoms (PTSS), particularly after acute injuries and single-incident traumas (e.g., motor vehicle accidents, burns, violent attacks, natural disasters, etc.). Key parenting domains include parental overprotection, behavioural and cognitive avoidance, and avoidance of trauma discussion.
The present study will aim to pilot a psychoeducational resource for parents of a children who have presented presentation at an emergency department (ED) with acute injuries (e.g., motor vehicle accidents, violent attacks, burns, etc.). This will be an online parent-led resource which will aim to:
(1) educate parents about common traumatic stress symptoms,
(2) normalise the experience of distress for both parents and children, and
(3) empower parents and offer guidance on how to support their child’s psychological post-injury recovery.We will recruit a small sample of parents/carers of children (aged 6-11 years old) who have attended the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children ED, who will complete the intervention over 4 weeks. The findings from this study will be used to determine whether the resource is: (1) acceptable for parents/caregivers, and (2) feasibile to implement into EDs.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/YH/0096
Date of REC Opinion
12 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion