Psychological Determinants in the Covalescence of Accident Patients

Abstract

Abstract This field study investigated the role of psychological factors in the convalescence of accident patients. Specifically, the influence of cognitions relating to the accident as well as cognitions relating to convalescence was analyzed. It was found that those subjects who thought that the accident could not have been prevented, that they were not responsible for the accident, or that the accident was caused by chance or fate showed a better recovery process. Also, those patients who thought that will power was important in the convalescence process recovered better than those who minimized its importance. Finally, those patients who were confident of their ability to predict their convalescence recovered more quickly than those who were not. Thus, rejection of personal responsibility is adaptive when it concerns the actual accident itself, but not adaptive when it concerns convalescence.