Adolescents’ Psychological Functioning And Unintentional Injuries: Motor Vehicles And Sports Accidents

Michela, Michela · 2017 · Crossref

DOI: 10.15405/epsbs.2017.06.1

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Summary

This study investigates the psychological profiles of Italian adolescents involved in unintentional injuries, specifically comparing those who experienced motor vehicle accidents versus sports accidents. The research is motivated by the high prevalence of injuries among adolescents, a demographic prone to risk-taking behaviors due to developmental changes in brain structure and emotional regulation. While previous literature has extensively covered the consequences of these injuries, there is a scarcity of data regarding the pre-existing psychological functioning of victims. The authors aim to identify specific emotional and behavioral traits associated with these accidents, hypothesizing that maladaptive psychological functioning, such as alexithymia and excessive use of defense mechanisms, characterizes these adolescents. The study employed a cross-sectional design involving 58 adolescents (aged 14–23 years) recruited from an emergency department in central Italy over a one-year period. Participants were divided into two groups: 29 adolescents who suffered sports accidents and 29 who suffered motor vehicle accidents. Data were collected using self-report measures administered by trained psychologists. Emotional functioning was assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), which measures difficulties in identifying and describing feelings. The use of defense strategies was evaluated using the Response Evaluation Measure for Youth (REM-71). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to compare the two groups, controlling for age and gender. The results indicated that adolescents in both groups exhibited significant maladaptive psychological functioning. Participants showed high levels of alexithymic traits, reflecting difficulties in identifying and describing emotions, alongside a massive use of defense strategies. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the sports and motor vehicle accident groups regarding overall alexithymia scores or general defense strategy usage, although specific differences were noted in the use of projection, conversion, and altruism. These findings support the hypothesis that unintentional injuries in adolescents are linked to underlying psychological distress and poor emotional competence. The authors interpret these accidents not merely as random events but as potential expressions of deep psychological suffering and unconscious requests for help. The study concludes that emotional and behavioral difficulties are key factors in the risk profile of adolescents involved in unintentional injuries. The findings suggest that interventions should focus on improving emotional competence and addressing maladaptive defense mechanisms to prevent such accidents. The authors acknowledge limitations, including the small sample size, reliance on self-report data, and the cross-sectional design, which prevents longitudinal assessment. They recommend future research with larger samples and multiple data sources to further validate these psychological profiles and develop targeted prevention programs.

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