A Psychosocial Transitional Group to Improve Adaptation, Coping and Mental Health Outcomes Following Trauma

Number of participants who are recruited into the study and are contacted for assessments at set time intervals.

Number of completed assessments

Number of participants who complete all 6 SEGT sessions

Number of participants contacted for follow up interview

Number of participants who complete the 3 month post-discharge assessments

Number of participants who complete 1 month post-discharge interview

As discussed in qualitative interviews

Short Form-36 Survey (SF-36): The SF-36 is the most widely used generic health-related QoL tool. The tool measures 8 domains including physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, bodily pain, general health perceptions, social functioning, general mental health, role limitations due to emotional problems, and vitality. The minimum score is 0, and the maximum is 100. Higher scores on the measure are indicative of less disability.

Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES): The CSES is a measures perceived self-efficacy for coping with challenges and threats. It is a 26-item measure rated using an 11-point scale with the anchors 0 (cannot do at), 5 (moderately certain can do), and 10 (certain can do). Total scores (ranging from 0-260) are calculated by summing the item scores and a higher score indicates higher coping self-efficacy.

Impact Event Scale Revised (IES-R): The IES44 is a 15-item scale that assesses the impact of a traumatic life event, and has two subscales assessing the frequency of intrusive and avoidant cognitions associated with a specific stressor. It uses a 4-point scale, not at all to often to assess how often a respondent experienced specific symptoms during the past week. The IES was revised 45 to assess the three cluster symptoms of PTSD: intrusions, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Scores range from 0-88, with higher scores indicating more severe impact.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-C): The PCL-C47 is a standardized 17-item self-report rating scale for PTSD. Respondents indicate how much they have been bothered by a symptom over the past month using a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating more severe levels of PTSD, and it is a well-validated measure across different populations. Scores range from a minimum of 0, to a maximum of 80.

Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI): The PTGI is a 21-item scale assessing positive outcomes reported by those who have experienced traumatic events.48 Items are scored on a 6-point scale and scores range from 0 to 105, with higher scores indicating greater levels of growth. It has good levels of internal consistency reliability (α=.90) and 2-month test-retest stability (r =.71).

Data will be collected on the following: age, gender, marital status, highest level of education achieved, living situation (live alone, live with spouse, live with others), smoking status, alcohol/illicit drug use (yes, no; if yes, type and frequency of use), annual income after taxes, third-party insurance (yes, no), and employment status (employed, unemployed, retired, etc.), number/type of comorbid conditions, number/type of medications used by participant.

The cause of injury will be obtained using the following categories: in a motor vehicle accident, hit by motor vehicle, fall, assault, stab, gunshot wound, recreational injury, and other. As well, whether the injury was unintentional, self-inflicted, assault, or cause unknown will be recorded.

Injury Severity Score (ISS): ISS49 assesses trauma severity, and correlates with mortality, morbidity and hospitalization time after trauma and is used to define the term 'major trauma'. ISS scores range from 0 to 75, and a major trauma is defined as an ISS being greater than 15.

Experiences in Close Relationships inventory-Short Form (ECR-S): The 12-item ECR-S evaluates the construct of adult attachment.50 Participants rate each of the 36 statements about connection using a 7-point Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). There is a minimum score of 7 and a maximum score of 42. Higher percentiles indicate more difficulty with attachment.

Ten Item Personality Measure (TIPI): The TIPI assesses the Five-Factor Model of personality (agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, introversion, extraversion).52 It has adequate levels in terms of (a) convergence with widely used Big-Five measures in self, observer, and peer reports, (b) test-retest reliability, and (c) convergence between self and observer ratings.52 Each personality scale is measured on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 ( strongly agree). Personality is an important determinant of outcome following injury as certain personality types may respond better to specific types of treatment,53 and has implications for the occurrence of PTSD.54

Reintegration to Normal Living (RNL) Index: The RNL Index56 covers such areas as involvement in recreational and social activities, perceived ability to move within the community, and the degree of comfort people have with their relationships. It is a valid and reliable tool for assessing participation in various populations.56 Minimum score is 0 and maximum score is 100. Higher scores represent higher levels of participation.