• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.174-183
• /
• 1999

Objective : This study was designed to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) after motor vehicle accidents(MVA) in 44 consecutive MVA victims referred to psychiatry for the diagnosis, treatment and psychiatric assessment. Method : The diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder was made on the basis of DSM-IV criteria, and posttraumatic stress symptoms were assessed by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale(CAPS). Correlation between the extent of physical injury and the severity of PTSD symptoms using the Abbreviated Injury Scale(AIS) was analyzed and the frequency of psychiatric comorbidity of PTSD was invested. Result : Twenty-two(45.5%) MVA victims met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD, while thirteen(29.5%) showed a subsyndromal form of it. AIS scores significantly related with the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms(r=0.565, p=0.0001). PTSD group showed high percentages of each of the 17 symptoms(criterion B, C, D), while subsyndromal PTSD group showed relatively high percentages of criterion Band D. The most frequent symptom was 'distressing dreams' of criterion B in both group. A high percentages(56%) of the MVA-PTSD group also met the criteria for current major depression. Conclusions : These findings suggest that there is apparently a high likelihood of developing all or part of the PTSD syndrome after motor vehicle accidents. So it does appear that for those MVA victims who seek medical attention and eventually need psychiatric referral, diagnostic possibility of PTSD should be taken into account in treatment planning and early intervention.