• Laura Hawkins, Luna C M Centifanti, Natalie Holman, and Peter Taylor.
• School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GB.
• J Pediatr Psychol. 2019 Mar 1; 44 (2): 229-237.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the association between factors: guilt, shame, self-compassion, and parents' psychological adjustment to their child's burn injury.MethodsParticipants were 91 parents and primary caregivers (63 mothers, 25 fathers, 3 other) of 71 children recruited on the ward or at outpatient clinics during the first 8 weeks following their child's burn injury. In 20 cases, both parents participated, while for 51 children only one parent participated. Participants completed questionnaires which assessed adjustment (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress syndrome [PTSS]) as well as guilt, shame, and self-compassion.ResultsMultilevel analysis indicated that feelings of guilt and shame were associated with poorer adjustment in parents, while parents who rated high in self-compassion reported fewer symptoms of depression and PTSS. Guilt and shame showed a differing pattern of effects with shame explaining more variance for anxiety and depression. Length of hospitalization predicted PTSS; however, the remaining injury factors (size of burn, requiring a skin graft) were unrelated to parental adjustment.ConclusionsHealth-care professionals should pay close attention to families' subjective injury experiences. Screening for psychological distress should be offered to all families regardless of the size and severity of the burn injury.

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