Pregnancy-related hormones and COMT genotype: Associations with maternal working memory.

Women experience different degrees of subjective cognitive changes during pregnancy. The exact mechanism underlying these changes is unknown, although endocrine alterations and genetics may be contributing factors. We investigated whether multiple pregnancy-related hormones were associated with working memory function assessed with the Digit Span Test (DST) in late pregnancy. Moreover, we examined whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype, previously related to working memory, was an effect modifier in this association. In this population-based panel study, we recorded psychiatric history, medication use, socio-demographic characteristics, and psychological well-being, gathered blood and saliva samples, and administered the DST at gestational weeks 35-39 (N = 216). We conducted multivariate linear regressions with DST as outcome, with different hormones and COMT genotype, adjusting for covariates including maternal age, BMI, education, depressive symptoms, and parity. We repeated these analyses excluding women with elevated depressive symptoms. Higher DST total scores were associated with increased free estradiol concentrations (B = 0.01, p = 0.03; B = 0.01, p = 0.02) in all participants and in participants without depressive symptoms, respectively, whereas DST forward was positively associated with free estradiol only in women without depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, p = 0.04). Lower total testosterone concentrations (B = -0.03, p = 0.01) enhanced DST backward performance in non-depressed women. Maternal higher education was significantly associated with the DST subscales in all participants. No significant differences emerged when considering the COMT genotype. Our results suggest differential associations of free estradiol and total testosterone levels with working memory function in late pregnancy.

Stability in Personality After Physical Trauma.

Personality trait stability may be influenced by several factors, there among different life events such as psychological trauma. However, little is known regarding trait stability after physical trauma. Therefore, our primary aim was to assess the extent of stability in personality in burn patients during the first year after injury. Eighty-four burn patients, admitted to a national burn center, were assessed with the Swedish universities Scales of Personality during acute care and 12 months postburn. Personality domain scores remained stable between acute care and 12 months postburn. On the trait level, the only change was seen in personality trait Stress Susceptibility, where burn patients' scores were lower compared with norm scores during acute care but then increased, and normalized, at 12 months postburn. To conclude, personality scores remained relatively stable during the first year after burn trauma.

Overcoming Heroin Addiction without the Use of Pharmaceuticals: A Qualitative Interview Study.

Although opioid maintenance treatment lowers mortality and has proven efficacy in reducing opioid use, it is not an option for every person with an opioid addiction. Studies of the experiences of those who have overcome their addiction without pharmaceuticals are rare, but vital to understanding the quitting process and how it can be facilitated. This study investigated what persons with a previous heroin addiction perceived as helpful when overcoming their addiction without the use of pharmaceuticals, and what they consider important for health services to consider. Eleven adults with former heroin addiction participated. Most described the leaving process as prolonged and including many attempts. Experiences such as being worn out and numb, life-threatening overdoses, personal losses or a growing feeling of missing important stages in life fueled the decision process. Envisioning a future without drugs was described as an important component. To maintain the decision to refrain from heroin use the possibility to gain a new social context was crucial. Results imply that health care professionals should be proactive by seizing the moment of opportunity for change (e.g., after an overdose), and should be empathetic and never give up on a person. Those concerned with care, welfare and other support or control systems in society must cooperate to offer more personalized support.

Validation of a clinician-administered diagnostic measure of ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD: the International Trauma Interview in a Swedish sample.

Background: The recently published ICD-11 includes substantial changes to the diagnosis of 10 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and introduces the diagnosis of Complex PTSD (CPTSD). The International Trauma Interview (ITI) has been developed for clinicians to assess these new diagnoses but has not yet been evaluated. Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish translation of the ITI by examining the interrater agreement, latent structure, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity. Methods: In a prospective study, 186 adults who had experienced a potentially traumatic event were assessed with the ITI and answered questionnaires for symptoms of posttraumatic stress, other psychiatric disorders, functional disability, and quality of life (QoL). Results: The diagnostic rate was 16% for PTSD and 6% for CPTSD. Interrater agreement was satisfactory (α = .76), and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-factor second-20 order model consistent with the ICD-11 model of CPTSD provided acceptable fit to the data. Composite reliability analysis demonstrated that the ITI possessed acceptable internal reliability, and associations with measures of other psychiatric disorders, insomnia, functional disability, and QoL supported the concurrent validity of the ITI. Conclusion: Swedish ITI shows promise as a clinician-administered instrument to assess and diagnose ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD.

Objetivos: La recientemente publicada CIE-11 incluye cambios sustanciales al diagnóstico de Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT) e introduce el diagnóstico de TEPT Complejo (TEPT-C). La Entrevista Internacional de Trauma (ITI, por su sigla en inglés) ha sido desarrollada para que los clínicos examinen estos nuevos diagnósticos pero no ha sido evaluada aún. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de la traducción sueca de la ITI, examinando el acuerdo inter-evaluador, estructura latente, consistencia interna y validez convergente y discriminante.Métodos: En un estudio prospectivo, 186 adultos que habían experimentado un evento potencialmente traumático fueron evaluados con la ITI y respondieron cuestionarios de síntomas de estrés postraumático, otros trastornos psiquiátricos, discapacidad funcional y calidad de vida (QoL, por su sigla en inglés).Resultados: Las tasas de diagnóstico fueron 16% para TEPT y 6% para TEPT-C. El acuerdo inter-evaluador fue satisfactorio (α = .76), y el análisis factorial confirmatorio indicó que un modelo de dos factores, de segundo orden, consistente con el modelo de la CIE-11 para TEPT-C proporcionó ajuste aceptable a los datos. El análisis compuesto de confiabilidad demostró que la ITI posee consistencia interna aceptable, y las asociaciones con medidas de otros trastornos psiquiátricos, insomnio, discapacidad funcional y QoL respaldaron la validez concurrente de la ITI.Conclusión: La ITI sueca se muestra promisoria como un instrumento administrado por los clínicos para evaluar y diagnosticar TEPT y TEPT-C según la CIE-11.

Anxiety and depression after burn, not as bad as we think-A nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: A history of psychiatric disorders is more common among patients who have had burns than in the general population. To try and find out the scale of the problem we have assessed self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression after a burn. METHODS: Consecutive patients with burns measuring more than 10% total body surface area or duration of stay in hospital of seven days or more were included. Personal and clinical details about the patients were extracted from the database at each center. Data were collected from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, as well as Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL; Short Form-36, SF-36) and questionnaires about socioeconomic factors. All results were obtained 12 and 24 months after the burn, and compared with those from a reference group. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients responded to the questionnaires. Mean (SD) age and TBSA (%) were 46 (16.4) years and 23.6 (19.2) %, respectively. There were no differences in incidence between the burn and reference groups in anxiety or depression either 12 or 24 months after the burn. Those who reported higher anxiety and depression scores also had consistently poorer HRQoL as assessed by the SF-36. CONCLUSION: Seen as a group, people who have had burns report anxiety and depression the same range as a reference group. Some patients, however, express more anxiety and depression, and concomitantly poorer HRQoL. These patients should be identified, and offered additional support.

Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report Short Form (ETISR-SF): validation of the Swedish translation in clinical and non-clinical samples.

PURPOSE: Childhood trauma in an important public health concern, and there is a need for brief and easily administered assessment tools. The Early Trauma Inventory (ETI) is one such instrument. The aim of this paper is to test the psychometric properties of the Swedish translation of the short, self-rated version (ETISR-SF), and to further validate the instrument. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 243 psychiatric patients from an open care unit in Sweden and 56 controls were recruited. Participants were interviewed and thereafter completed the ETISR-SF. Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's alpha, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed and goodness-of-fit was determined. Intra Class Correlation (ICC) was used to calculate test-retest reliability. Discriminant validity between groups was gauged using the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha varied between 0.55 and 0.76, with higher values in clinical samples than in controls. Of the four domains, general trauma showed a lower alpha than the other domains. The CFA confirmed the four-factor model previously seen and showed good to acceptable fit. The ICC value was 0.93, indicating good test-retest reliability. According to the Mann-Whitney U-test, the non-clinical sample differed significantly from the clinical sample, as did those with PTSD or borderline diagnosis from those without these diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: The Swedish translation of the ETISR-SF was found to have similar psychometric properties as both the original version and translations. ETISR-SF scores could also distinguish between different diagnostic groups associated with various degrees of trauma, which supports its discriminant validity.

Similarity in symptom patterns of posttraumatic stress among disaster-survivors: a three-step latent profile analysis.

Background: Individuals express symptoms of posttraumatic stress in various ways, noted for example in the many symptom combinations in the diagnostic manuals. Studies aiming to examine differences of symptom presentations by extracting latent classes or profiles indicate both the presence of subtypes with differing symptomatology and subtypes distinguished by severity levels. Few studies have examined subtype associations with long-term outcomes. Objective: The current study aimed to apply latent profile analysis on posttraumatic stress (PTS) in a highly homogenous sample of Swedish tourists exposed to the 2004 Southeast Asia tsunami and to examine if classes differed in their long-term outcome. Methods: An latent profile analysis was conducted using self-report data collected one year after the disaster from 1638 highly exposed survivors that endorsed ≥ 1 symptom of PTS. Associations were examined between the classes and predictors of PTS (loss of a relative or friend, subjective life threat) and levels of PTS at a three-year follow up. Results: The latent profile analysis indicated four classes: minimal, low, moderate, and severe symptoms. The classes were distinguished mainly by their levels of PTS. Loss of a relative or friend and subjective life threat were associated with a higher likelihood of belonging to any other class than the minimal class. The severity level of the classes at one year were predictive of PTS severity at the three-year follow-up. Conclusions: Homogeneous profiles of posttraumatic stress differing mainly in symptom severity were found in this sample of disaster survivors. Profile diversity may be related to sample variation and unmeasured confounders rather than reflect qualitatively different disorders.

Antecedentes: los individuos expresan los síntomas de estrés postraumático de varias maneras, como se observa, por ejemplo, en las múltiples combinaciones de síntomas de los manuales de diagnóstico. Los estudios que buscan examinar las diferencias en la presentación de los síntomas mediante la extracción de clases o perfiles latentes indican tanto la presencia de subtipos con sintomatología diferente como subtipos que se distinguen por los niveles de gravedad. Pocos estudios han examinado las asociaciones de subtipos con resultados a largo plazo.Objetivo: el estudio actual tuvo como objetivo aplicar el análisis de perfil latente (por su sigla en inglés) sobre el estrés postraumático (STP, por su sigla en inglés) en una muestra altamente homogénea de turistas suecos expuestos al tsunami del sudeste asiático de 2004 y examinar si las clases difirieron en su resultado a largo plazo.Métodos: se llevó a cabo un LPA utilizando datos de auto-reporte recogidos un año después del desastre en 1638 sobrevivientes altamente expuestos que acreditaron uno o más síntomas de PTS. Se examinaron las asociaciones entre las clases y los predictores de PTS (pérdida de un familiar o amigo, amenaza subjetiva a la vida) y los niveles de PTS en un seguimiento a los tres años.Resultados: El LPA indicó cuatro clases: síntomas mínimos, bajos, moderados y graves. Las clases se distinguieron principalmente por sus niveles de PTS. La pérdida de un familiar o amigo y la amenaza subjetiva a la vida se asociaron con una mayor probabilidad de pertenecer a cualquier otra clase que la clase mínima. El nivel de severidad de las clases en el primer año fue predictor de la severidad de PTS en el seguimiento a los tres años.Conclusiones: En esta muestra de sobrevivientes de desastres se encontraron perfiles homogéneos de estrés postraumático que difieren principalmente en la gravedad de los síntomas. La diversidad de perfiles puede estar relacionada con la variación de la muestra y variables confundentes no medidas en lugar de reflejar trastornos cualitativamente diferentes.

Feelings of guilt and embitterment in parents of children with burns and its associations with depression.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to examine guilt and embitterment in mothers and fathers of children with burns and its associations with depression and burn severity. METHODS: Parents (N=61, mothers n=41, fathers n=20) completed self-report questionnaires on guilt and embitterment, 0.8-5.6 years after their child's burn. Burn severity and socio-demographic variables were obtained from medical records and symptoms of depression were assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). RESULTS: The parents reported low levels of guilt, embitterment and depression. Burn-specific and general guilt were higher in mothers than fathers, but there were no differences in embitterment or symptoms of depression. General guilt was associated with depression, whereas burn-specific guilt and embitterment were not. CONCLUSIONS: Parents with general guilt may suffer from symptoms of depression. An implication is that clinicians should address guilt feelings among parents in order to alleviate distress and to identify any need for further counseling.

Parents' perceived quality of pediatric burn care.

PURPOSE: To describe parents' perceived quality of pediatric burn care and evaluate factors associated with differences in perceived quality among parents. METHODS: 62 parents of children with burns were recruited on a Swedish national basis 0.8 to 5.6years after the child's injury. Measures were an adaptation of the Quality of Care Indices - Parent questionnaire consisting of 8 subscales and one overall question, the Impact of Event Scale -Revised, Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and Injury-specific fear-avoidance. RESULTS: Ratings of quality of care were high, especially regarding Staff Attitudes, Medical Treatment, and Caring Processes. Overall satisfaction rated from 1 to 10 was on average 9.1 (SD=1.2). Overall satisfaction and specific indices of Quality of care were not associated with burn severity, parent gender, or parent age. However, Quality of care was associated with current symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression, and parents of girls expressed being less satisfied with Participation. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' perceived quality of care is associated with psychological health, but not with characteristics of the child's injury or age. The results suggest that burn care can improve by involving parents of girls more and by being more attentive towards parents who themselves appear stressed or worried.

Community violence exposure and substance use: cross-cultural and gender perspectives.

The negative effects of community violence exposure on child and adolescent mental health are well documented and exposure to community violence has been linked both to a number of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Our aim was, therefore, to investigate cross-cultural and gender differences in the relationship between community violence exposure and substance abuse. A self-report survey was conducted among 10,575, 12-18 year old adolescents in three different countries, Czech Republic (N = 4537), Russia (N = 2377) and US (N = 3661). We found that in all three countries both substance use and problem behavior associated with it increased similarly along with severity of violence exposure and this association was not gender-specific. It was concluded that in spite of the differences in the levels of violence exposure and substance use cross-culturally and by gender, the pattern of their association is neither culturally nor gender bound.

Different patterns of attentional bias in antenatal and postpartum depression.

Background: Biased information processing in attention, memory, and interpretation is proposed to be central cognitive alterations in patients with major depressive disorder, but studies in women with peripartum depression are scarce. Because of the many similarities with depression in nonperipartum states as regards symptom profile and risk factors, we hypothesized that women with antenatal and postpartum depression would display attentional bias to negatively and positively valenced words. Methods: One hundred and seventy-seven pregnant and 157 postpartum women were included. Among these, 40 suffered from antenatal depressive disorder and 33 from postpartum depressive disorder. An emotional Stroop task with neutral, positive, negative, and negatively valenced obstetric words was used. Results: No significant difference in emotional interference scores was noted between women with antenatal depression and nondepressed pregnant women. In contrast, women with postpartum depression displayed shorter reaction times to both positive (p = .028) and negative (p = .022) stimuli, compared with neutral words. Pregnant women on antidepressant treatment displayed longer reaction times to negatively valenced obstetric words in comparison with untreated depressed women (p = .012), and a trend toward greater interference in comparison with controls (p = .061). Conclusions: In contrast with the hypothesis, we found no evidence of attentional bias to emotionally valenced stimuli in women with untreated peripartum depression. However, the shorter reaction times to emotional stimuli in women with postpartum depression may indicate emotional numbing, which in turn, is a functional impairment that may have repercussions for child development and well-being. Our findings emphasize the need to identify and treat women with postpartum depression at the earliest possible time point to ensure swift recovery and support for the family.

No regrets: Young adult patients in psychiatry report positive reactions to biobank participation.

BACKGROUND: Research in vulnerable individuals must insure voluntariness and minimize negative reactions caused by participation. This study aimed to describe consent and completion rate in young psychiatric patients in relation to study components, degree of disability and to compare response to research participation in patients and controls. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2015, 463 patients with psychiatric disorders between the ages of 18-25 from the Dept. of General Psychiatry at Uppsala University Hospital and 105 controls were recruited to donate data and samples to a biobank. Consent and completion in relation to questionnaires, biological sampling of blood, saliva or feces, were monitored. Both groups were also asked about their perceived disability and how research participation affected them. RESULTS: Most patients who participated consented to and completed questionnaires and blood sampling. The majority also consented to saliva sampling, while less than half consented to collect feces. Of those who gave consent to saliva and feces only half completed the sampling. Both patients and controls reported high voluntariness and were positive to research participation. Within the patient group, those with greater perceived disability reported greater distress while participating in research, but there was no difference in consent or completion rates or level of regret. CONCLUSIONS: With the described information procedures, psychiatric patients, regardless of perceived disability, reported high voluntariness and did not regret participation in biobanking. Compared to questionnaires and blood sampling, given consent was reduced for feces and completion was lower for both saliva and feces sampling.

Internet-based information and support program for parents of children with burns: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and effects of an internet-based information and self-help program with therapist contact for parents of children and adolescents with burns. The program aimed to reduce parents' symptoms of general and posttraumatic stress. METHODS: Participants were parents of children treated for burns between 2009-2013 at either of the two specialized Swedish Burn centers. Sixty-two parents were included in a two-armed, randomized controlled trial with a six-week intervention group and a wait-list control group, including a pre and post-assessment, as well as a 3 and 12-month follow-up. The intervention contained psychoeducation, exercises and homework assignments, and the intervention group received weekly written feedback from a therapist. The main outcome was stress (post-traumatic stress, general stress and parental stress). RESULTS: The program had a beneficial effect on posttraumatic stress in the short term, but did not affect general stress or parental stress. The parents rated the program as being informative and meaningful, but some of them thought it was time-consuming. CONCLUSION: The program has the potential to support parents of children with burns. The intervention is easily accessible, cost-effective and could be implemented in burn care rehabilitation.

Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To date there is a lack of studies assessing the psychometric properties of the recently revised PTSD Checklist (PCL), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The aim of this pilot study was to examine the psychometric properties of the PCL-5 in parents of children with burns. METHODS: The participating parents (N=62, mean age=38) completed self-report questionnaires, 0.8-5.6 years after their child's burn. Measures were the PCL-5, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Burn severity of the child and sociodemographic variables was obtained. RESULTS: The parents' average PCL-5 scores were low to moderate. The internal consistency of the PCL-5 was satisfactory, with Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.56 to 0.77 and mean inter-item correlations ranging from 0.22 to 0.73 for the four PCL-5 subscales and the PCL-5 total. The PCL-5 subscales were moderately to highly correlated with the corresponding IES-R subscales as well as MADRS and PSS (p<0.05), whereas associations with sociodemographics and burn severity were low to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary support for the use of PCL-5. The results indicate satisfactory psychometric properties of the PCL-5 as measured with internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and aspects of convergent validity.

Parents' perceptions of adaptation and family life after burn injuries in children.

The aim of this study was to explore parents' experiences after their child's burn injury, focusing on how the burn had influenced family life and child adjustment. Six semi-structured interviews with parents of children treated at burn centers 2 to 7 years previously revealed the theme, "Feeling quite alone in striving to regain family wellbeing". Identification of difficulties perceived by the parents during rehabilitation and up until the present is useful when developing pediatric burn care and support for parents of children with burns.

Health-related quality of life in family members of patients with burns.

A severe burn not only affects the patients, but may also have a great impact on the lives of family members. It is known that family members of patients with burns experience psychological distress, but health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has not been studied in this group. The aim was to study predictors of HRQoL in family members of patients with burns. Forty-four family members of adult patients treated in a burn center, between 2000 and 2007, completed questionnaires during care, and at 3, 6, and 12 months after injury. HRQoL was assessed with the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), which consists of the dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain, and anxiety/depression. The questionnaire generates an EQ-5D index and a visual analog scale (VAS) score. Overall, the EQ-5D index was similar to that of the general population. A slight improvement in HRQoL was found in the VAS scores and in the anxiety/depression dimension over time. In regression models, HRQoL was primarily predicted by earlier life events, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and HRQoL, assessed during the patients' hospitalization. In summary, HRQoL assessed with VAS scores increased slightly during the first year postburn, and early screening for life events and psychological symptoms, and HRQoL might be useful in identifying family members in need of support.

The Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief: measurement invariant across European countries.

BACKGROUND: The Burn Specific Health Scale Brief (BSHS-B), which is the only multidimensional measure to evaluate burn-specific aspects of health status, has previously been validated in several languages across the world. However, the stability of the underlying construct was not cross-culturally evaluated. The current study reports on measurement invariance across two samples of Swedish- and Dutch- speaking patients with burns. METHODS: In a prospective study, 231 and 275 Swedish and Dutch-Belgian patients with burns, completed the BSHS-B at 9 or 12 months, respectively, after burn. Using a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance across languages (Swedish and Dutch) was tested. RESULTS: The results of the confirmatory factor analysis in the total sample revealed that the scale structure for the earlier reported three-factor structure and the original nine-factor structure was adequate. However, an eight-factor structure in which hand function and simple abilities were merged provided the best fit. This structure was used to test measurement invariance across the two language groups. The two-group outcomes testing measurement invariance across Swedish- and Dutch-speaking patients indicated a stable, configural invariance. CONCLUSION: The BSHS-B seems to function uniformly across both language groups. The BSHS-B can be used to compare cross-cultural results in both countries.

Burn-specific health 2 years to 7 years after burn injury.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge concerning the pattern of recovery and predictors of burn-specific health years after burn injury is limited, and these factors were therefore assessed with a disease-specific instrument, the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief. METHODS: Consecutive adult burn patients were prospectively included during hospitalization and assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months as well as at 2 years to 7 years (4.6 years on average) after burn. Data concerning injury characteristics, sociodemographic variables, psychiatric disorders, and burn-specific health were obtained. RESULTS: Burn-specific health improved over time, from 6 months to the final assessment after burn. At 2 years to 7 years after burn, most problems were reported in the subscales heat sensitivity, body image, and work. The regression analyses revealed that length of stay, any preburn psychiatric disorder, major depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder 12 months after burn were predictors of long-term burn-specific health in the affect and relations domain, whereas time since injury, length of stay, and major depression 12 months after burn predicted outcome in the skin involvement domain. Predictors for the subscale work were length of stay, working at the time of injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder at 12 months. CONCLUSION: This study underscores that significant improvement in postburn health can be expected even later than 2 years after injury. Furthermore, the results imply that both preburn factors and factors identified 1 year after burn have impact on burn-specific health after several years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Prediction of psychological symptoms in family members of patients with burns 1 year after injury.

AIM: To report a study of predictors of psychological symptoms in family members of patients with burns. BACKGROUND: Family members are important as a source of social support for patients undergoing prolonged rehabilitation. Little is known about psychological symptoms of family members of patients with burns, especially in the long term. DESIGN: The design of the study was prospective and longitudinal. METHODS: Forty-four family members of adult patients treated in a burn centre between 2000-2007 completed questionnaires during care and at 3, 6, and 12 months after injury. Psychological symptoms were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Predictors for anxiety and depression were explored in regression analyses. RESULTS: The mean scores indicated normal to mild symptoms in general. Moderate and severe symptom levels during care and at 12 months were demonstrated on the anxiety subscale by 15/44 and 5/39, respectively, and on the depression subscale by 5/44 and 0/39 of the family members, respectively. In the final regression models, the primary predictor was psychological symptoms at the previous assessment. Other predictors were previous life events, age, and the coping strategy avoidance. CONCLUSION: Family members of patients with burns demonstrate normal to mild levels of psychological symptoms that decrease over time. One-third show moderate to severe anxiety symptoms during care and may benefit from counselling. Previous symptoms predict later symptoms, indicating that screening with a validated instrument is useful. The results provide guidance for nurses in assessing and planning adequate interventions for family members.