Psychophysiologic Responses to Event Imagery in Traffic Accident Related Patients

Chung, S K; Choi, M S; Hwang, I K

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The experience of traffic accident is a kind of the psychological stressors to person. The traffic accident-related patients may show the psychophysiologic hyperarousal. So we examined the differences of psychophysiologic response between patients with and without the memory of experienceing a traffic accident.
METHODS
Twenty-four traffic accident-related patients were divided into two groups according to ther memory of a traffic accident. In psychological assessment, levels of anxiety and depression were evaluated by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Hamilton Rating Scales For Anxiety and Depression. Heart rate, electrodermal response (EDR), and electromyographic activity (EMG) were measured by biofeedback system, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure by automated vital sign monitor during baseline, task, and rest periods. We utilized script-driven imagery technique as a stressful task. The patients listened to the script describing their own traffic accident experience and were instructed to imagine the event during the task period. Statistically analytic data were obtained from the differences of psychological and psychophysiologic data between two groups.
RESULTS
The memory group did not show significantly higher EDR than the none memory group, but showed higher tendency during baseline, imagery, and rest periods. The memory group showed significantly lower EMG than the none memory group during rest period. However, there were no differences in other psychophysiologic responses between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
Our results showed that the memory group had higher tendency in autonomic arousal level such as electrodermal response than the none memory group. We suggest that physicians need to minimize repetitive imagery of traffic accident (re-experience), and decrease the autonomic hyperarousal in the treatment of traffic accident-related patients.