PTSD course and predictors in a 15 year longitudinal cohort following suspected serious injury

Abstract Investigating long-term posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) course and its predictors may guide prevention and early intervention strategies following trauma exposure, potentially reducing the long-lasting impact of trauma. N = 155 emergency-admitted adults with (suspected) serious injury...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jeanet F. Karchoud, Chris M. Hoeboer, Irina Karaban, Joanne Mouthaan, Marit Sijbrandij, Miranda Olff, Rens van de Schoot, Mirjam van Zuiden
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Mental Health Research
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-025-00153-7
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Summary:Abstract Investigating long-term posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) course and its predictors may guide prevention and early intervention strategies following trauma exposure, potentially reducing the long-lasting impact of trauma. N = 155 emergency-admitted adults with (suspected) serious injury were repeatedly assessed until one-year post-trauma and completed a 12–15 year follow-up including a clinical PTSD interview. Adverse one-year PTSD trajectories; more exposure to additional potentially traumatic events and recent life stressors; and early post-trauma predictors (younger age, greater perceived impact of prior potentially traumatic events, higher heart rate) were significantly associated with higher PTSD symptom severity 12–15 years post-trauma. This study showed high consistency between one-year PTSD and its early post-trauma predictors with long-term PTSD outcomes. Early post-trauma predictors had predictive value up to 12–15 years. This suggests that early risk identification of one-year PTSD and subsequent effective early interventions also hold long-term beneficial effects for PTSD outcome.
ISSN:2731-4251