Predictors of posttraumatic growth of the family members of neurosurgical intensive care unit patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesConfronted with the potentially traumatic experience of a patients intensive care unit hospitalisation, family members may show positive changes associated with growth in addition to negative impact. This study aimed to identify the level of posttraumatic growth of the family members of neurosurgical intensive care unit patients and to explore its relation to positive personality characteristics, such as gratitude, resilience and hope. Design and settingA cross-sectional study involving 340 family members of patients admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit at a general tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. MethodsBefore the patients’ hospital discharge, the participants completed questionnaires, assessing posttraumatic growth (PTG Inventory), social support (Social Support Rating Scale), resilience (Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale), hope (Herth Hope Index) and gratitude (Gratitude Questionnaire Six-Item Form). ResultsThe mean total posttraumatic growth score was 73.38 (14.02). Hope, gratitude, resilience and social support showed a positive correlation with the posttraumatic growth Inventory scores. There were significant differences in the posttraumatic growth scores of the family members of neurosurgical intensive care patients with respect to their different religious beliefs, payment methods, family relationship quality and presence of chronic diseases among family members. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gratitude, resilience and social support were independent predictors of the posttraumatic growth Inventory score. ConclusionFamily members may experience some degree of posttraumatic growth during hospitalisation of patients in the neurosurgical intensive care units. Gratitude, social support and resilience are predictive factors for posttraumatic growth.