Citation

Marsac ML, Hildenbrand AK, Kohser KL, Winston FK, Li Y, Kassam-Adams N. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2013; 38(10): 1101-1111.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, The Center for Injury Research and Prevention, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania and Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Division of General Pediatrics and Leonard David Institute for Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jst053

PMID

23912164

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The study objective is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a web-based intervention for parents (AfterTheInjury.org [ATI]) in promoting emotional recovery following pediatric injury. METHODS: 100 children with injuries requiring medical attention and their parents were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care. Efficacy outcomes included parent knowledge and child and parent posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). RESULTS: All parents in the intervention group completed the intervention (directed use of ATI) in the hospital. 56% reported using ATI online post-discharge, and 100% of these parents found it helpful. Parent knowledge increased immediately post-intervention, but there was no significant intervention impact on parent knowledge or PTSS at a 6-week follow-up. Relationships between knowledge and PTSS were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Brief web-based interventions introduced during child hospitalization are a feasible strategy to reach many parents following pediatric injury. Preventing psychological symptoms may require more than parental education alone.

Language: en