Influence of resilience and social support on body image of patients in an acute stage following traffic accidents

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between resilience, social support, and body image in patients in an acute stage following traffic accidents and to investigate factors affecting body image. Methods: Data were collected from 86 patients at local hospitals from January 2019 to February 2020. To measure the variables, the body image scale, Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. Results: Mean age of participants was 43.40± 14.75 and the proportion of men was 73.3%. The average score for resilience, social support, and body image were 65.16±16.89, 72.93±8.11, and 12.24±6.63, respectively. The highest item on the body image scale was "Are you dissatisfied with the appearance of your scar?". There were differences in scores for body image according to gender, age, and living status. Resilience (r=-.68, p<.001) and social support (r=-.65, p<.001) were negatively correlated with body image. In the regression model, resilience (β=-.41), social support (β=-.30), and gender (β=.22) accounted for 57.6% of the variance in body image. Conclusion: Resilience and social support were identified in this study as significant factors protecting body image of patients during the acute stage following a traffic accident. It is recommended that psychosocial nursing interventions be conducted throughout the course of treatment.