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Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and neuroticism in relation to depressive symptoms following burn injury: a longitudinal study with a 2-year follow-up

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Abstract

Sustaining burns is considered a stressful life event that has the power to elicit depressive symptoms. This study aimed to identify predictors of depressive symptoms by investigating the role of demographic variables, the number of operations (burn severity), neuroticism, and cognitive emotion regulation styles as possible influencing factors. Data from 242 patients with burns were analyzed employing latent growth modeling. The level of depressive symptoms across the 2-year interval was associated with burn severity, higher levels of neuroticism and rumination, and lower levels of positive refocusing. Notably, rumination partly mediated the effect of neuroticism on the course of depressive symptoms. Correlational analysis suggested a specific effect of burn severity on rumination. The results indicate that screening for symptoms of depression, rumination, and neuroticism in burn patients is useful. Early interventions focusing on cognitive restructuring could assist in improving the cognitive emotional adaptation process following a burn event.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all of the participants for their collaboration. This study is the product of the collaborative efforts of our psychosocial research group: Mrs. G. Bakker and Mr. M. Bremer, Martini Hospital, Groningen; Mrs. A. Boekelaar, Red Cross Hospital Beverwijk; Mr. R. Deleus and Mrs. C. Reynders, University Hospitals Leuven; Mrs. M.P. Goemaere, University Hospital Gent; Mrs. H. Hofland and Mrs. A. van de Steenoven, Maasland Hospital, Rotterdam; and Mrs. K. Joos, ZNA Stuivenberg, Antwerp. This study was financially supported by the Dutch Burns Foundation Grant Numbers 03.90 and 04.2012.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosocial and Behavioural Research, Association of Dutch Burns Centres, P.O. Box 1015, 1940 EA, Beverwijk, The Netherlands

    Nancy E. Van Loey

  2. Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Nancy E. Van Loey & Rinie Geenen

  3. Department Clinical Psychology, Red Cross Hospital, P.O. Box 1074, 1940 EB, Beverwijk, The Netherlands

    Anne Oggel

  4. Burn Centre, University Hospital Gent, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Anne-Sofie Goemanne

  5. Burn Centre, ZNA Stuivenberg, Lange Beeldekensstraat 267, 2060, Antwerp, Belgium

    Leen Braem

  6. Department of Data Analysis, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 1, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Leonard Vanbrabant

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  1. Nancy E. Van Loey
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  2. Anne Oggel
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  3. Anne-Sofie Goemanne
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  4. Leen Braem
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  6. Rinie Geenen
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Correspondence to Nancy E. Van Loey.

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Van Loey, N.E., Oggel, A., Goemanne, AS. et al. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and neuroticism in relation to depressive symptoms following burn injury: a longitudinal study with a 2-year follow-up. J Behav Med 37, 839–848 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-013-9545-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-013-9545-2

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