PS-137a A Brief Intervention To Improve Parent Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms Following Paediatric Critical Illness: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background and aims Admission to paediatric intensive care (PIC) has been linked to subsequent post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in parents. This study aimed to obtain initial estimates regarding the effect of a brief intervention on parent PTSS and explore the mediating effect of baseline parental stress. Methods Parents of children aged 4-16 years old were randomised to intervention versus treatment as usual (TAU). The intervention was delivered within six weeks of discharge from hospital and included a psycho-educational booklet and telephone call. Parents' baseline stress was measured using the Parental Stressor Scale: PICU. Parents were followed-up a median of 5 months post discharge from PICU and measures of PTSS were obtained using the Impact of Events Scale. Results Although not statistically significant, parents in the intervention group (n = 17) fared better than parents in the TAU group (n = 6): They reported fewer PTSS [19.47 (95% CI 11.64-26.62) vs. 25.83 (95% CI 11.47-39.00)] and fewer were at risk for clinical disorder (18% vs. 33%) (Cohen's d = 0.38 and 0.34 respectively). However, there were potential implications for screening: "High stress" parents in the intervention group had lower PTSS scores than "high stress" TAU parents (d = 1.06), whereas "low stress" parents in the intervention group had higher PTSS scores than "low stress" TAU parents (d = 0.47) (See Figure 1). Post-traumatic stress symptoms in parents at 5 months post PICU discharge in the intervention (Rx) and Treatment as usual [TAU] groups, split according to baseline parental stress score (H=high stress; L=low stress) Conclusions Pilot data indicate that a brief intervention could have a significant impact on parent PTSS following paediatic critical illness, but this needs to be evaluated in a sufficiently powered RCT. (Figure Presented).