Problem solving skills and childhood traumas in patients who self-injured by punching glass during an anger outburst

• Main Authors: Mustafa Baştürk, Azad Yıldırım, Mehmet Subaşı, Şakir Özen, Yasin Bez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Modestum Publishing LTD 2010-05-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations
• Subjects: anger; glass; wrist injury; problem solving
• Online Access: http://jceionline.org/upload/sayi/1/JCEI-00599.pdf

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the problem solving skills and its childhood traumas among the patients who failed to control their anger and injured their hands and wrists after punching a window or door glass.Methods: The patients who admitted to emergency service with severe wrist injury including tendon, vessel or nerve cut were included. Twenty-five patients who punching glass constituted study group (23 men, 2 women) and 14 patients who accidentally injured their hands (13 men, 1 woman) included as control group. A few days after wrist operation the patients were informed and asked for study participation. Problem Solving Inventory (PSI) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were applied to all patients.Results: The mean age of the study and control groups was 25.9 and 29.7 years, respectively. Ratios of right hand injury in the study and the control groups were 84% and 43%, respectively (p=0.008). The study group showed higher childhood emotional and physical trauma scores than the control group but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). PSI scores were higher in the study group than the controls which means problem solving skills were poorer in the study group (p=0.001). PSI scores, CTQ total score (p<0.001) and sub-scale scores were positively correlated in the study group.Conclusions: Previously experienced emotional and physical traumas interfere with the problem solving skills. These individuals show lower tendency to judge and try alternative�� � � � � � ways. Psychoeducation on interpersonal relationships, anger management, and problem solving skills may decrease the future injuries in these patients.