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Journal of Health Psychology
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Surviving a Serious Traffic Accident

Adaptation Processes and Quality of Life

Eva Cagnetta

Elvira Cicognani

Department of Education Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy

Research on the consequences of motor vehicle accidents centres mainly on the assessment and treatment of post-traumatic psychological–behavioural reactions of the people involved. Few studies have explored the experience of surviving a serious accident and its impact on different dimensions of individuals' lives. This qualitative study aims at investigating adaptation strategies and quality of life of 20 severely injured accident survivors who spent several months in an intensive care unit of a hospital, and who still suffer permanent injuries of varying extent. Participants completed individual in-depth interviews which were subsequently analysed according to the grounded theory method. The findings indicate that the adaptation process follows a sequence of temporal phases (‘past–present’, ‘present’, ‘future’ and ‘being’), characterized by different emotional and behavioural reactions, perceived needs, and by the adoption of specific coping strategies. The duration of the adaptation process is influenced by the severity of the injury suffered, participants' age at the time of the trauma, the occurrence of coma and the availability of social support in participants' life environment.

Key Words: coping strategies • grounded theory • physical trauma • qualitative research • quality of life • traffic accidents

Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 4, 551-564 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/135910539900400408
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