The Impact of Post-traumatic Scales on Mental Health Assessed by Psychometric Scales

Abstract

This chapter aimed to analyze the psychosocial impact determined by post-traumatic scars, using psychometric scales, to assess the effectiveness of the Mekeres' Psychosocial Internalization Scale (MPIS), and to identify relevant predictors of traumatic and surgical scar internalization. A scar is a normal and an inevitable physiological response to the natural healing process of wounds or trauma in the human body. The essence of scar is a kind of abnormal and unsound tissue that does not possess the structure, physiological function and vitality of normal skin tissue.
The study included a total number of 293 participants, aged between 18 and 64 (m = 38.75; SD = 13.04), of which 149 were women (50.9%) and 144 were men (49.1%). We compared the results obtained in two subgroups: 153 subjects with posttraumatic scars and 140 with surgical scars. Our results highlighted that in the experimental group, higher scores of self-care, usual activity, pain and discomfort increased the depression levels. Additionally, higher POSAS scores had a positive effect, as it proved to decrease the depression levels. Our regression equation proved to be a good fit for the model, explaining 51.6% of lack of hope depression (R2 = 0.516).
Relevant predictors for posttraumatic scar internalization (R2=0.721) are adaptation time, Age of the incidence and subjective evaluation are relevant indicators for anxiety and subjective evaluation of the scars and posttraumatic quality of life are useful predictors for sadness and hopelessness.
The psychological and social reporting of trauma's aftereffects, which are followed by scarring, can predict how someone will react and may also hint at their propensity for psychopathology.