Traumatology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Interpersonal trauma relates to dissociative experiences through anxiety sensitivity and emotional avoidance strategies.
Quiles JRG, Potter M, El-Jamal C … +1 more , Schmidt NB
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2026 May · PMID 42221214 · Full text
Dissociation is a prevalent and impairing symptom commonly observed in trauma-exposed populations following interpersonal trauma. While anxiety sensitivity (AS) and emotional difficulties have been separately implicated...
Dissociation is a prevalent and impairing symptom commonly observed in trauma-exposed populations following interpersonal trauma. While anxiety sensitivity (AS) and emotional difficulties have been separately implicated in the development of dissociative experiences following trauma, a potential pathway underlying its development remains underexplored. This study examined the mediating effects of AS and emotional avoidance on the association between interpersonal trauma and dissociative symptoms. A trauma-exposed sample (N = 583) completed self-report measures assessing trauma exposure (LEC-5), anxiety sensitivity (ASI-3), emotional avoidance (i.e., DERS-16 nonacceptance subscale), and dissociative experiences (DES-B). Linear regression and path analytic models were conducted using R. Follow-up analyses included all domains of AS to assess specific significant contributors to dissociation. Interpersonal trauma was significantly associated with elevated AS and emotional avoidance, subsequently predicting greater dissociative symptom severity. When accounting for AS and emotional avoidance, our direct effect was no longer significant with AS and emotional avoidance fully mediating this relationship. Subdomain analyses revealed cognitive and social AS as the sole significant mediators between interpersonal trauma and dissociation via emotional avoidance. AS and emotional avoidance jointly contribute to the development of greater dissociative symptom severity following interpersonal trauma. Cognitive and social concerns emerged as key AS subdomains driving this pathway, suggesting that individuals with heightened fears of losing control or social embarrassment may display greater rates of emotional disengagement as a maladaptive coping strategy. Our findings further exemplify AS and emotional avoidance as particularly salient treatment targets for trauma-exposed populations exhibiting problematic dissociative experiences.
Drivers of Return Migration and Permanent Relocation Among Hurricane Katrina Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis.
Pendley SC, Merdjanoff AA, VanLandingham M
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2025 Sep · PMID 42164478 · Full text
Hurricane Katrina displaced nearly all of New Orleans' 455,000 pre-Katrina residents. While several research teams have investigated the dynamics of return, few studies have employed a qualitative approach, which makes p...
Hurricane Katrina displaced nearly all of New Orleans' 455,000 pre-Katrina residents. While several research teams have investigated the dynamics of return, few studies have employed a qualitative approach, which makes possible a more nuanced exploration of decision making using words and phrasing of those directly affected. Qualitative interview data from 50 participants were analyzed, including both New Orleans residents who had permanently relocated as well as those who had returned to the city by the 5-year anniversary of the storm. The results suggest broad domains of decision making: (a) post-Katrina housing affordability and cost of living, (b) family ties and social support, and (c) the pull of home and place attachment. These results have implications for future research, as well as for disaster preparedness planning and recovery.
Exercise and Eating Habits Among Men Exposed to Sexual Trauma: The Role of Self-Blame.
Nomamiukor FO, Woller SJ, Vujanovic AA
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2026 Apr · PMID 42027809 · Full text
Understanding the unique mental and physical health related experiences of male sexual assault survivors is important for helping this underserved group. The present study aimed to examine whether male survivors of sexua...
Understanding the unique mental and physical health related experiences of male sexual assault survivors is important for helping this underserved group. The present study aimed to examine whether male survivors of sexual trauma who struggle with self-blame are more likely than other men exposed to potentially traumatic events to engage in reduced exercise and increased eating to cope with negative affect. Participants were a racially diverse sample of 639 male university students who were all directly exposed to a DSM-5 Criterion A potentially traumatic event. Of the 639 participants, 93 reported a history of sexual trauma. We hypothesized that men with sexual trauma histories would report more maladaptive health behaviors compared to men with other trauma histories, and that self-blame would moderate these associations. We found that sexual trauma, but not self-blame, was associated with reduced exercise. In addition, we found no direct effects of self-blame or sexual trauma for eating behaviors, however a significant interaction emerged whereby sexual trauma survivors with lower levels of self-blame were significantly more likely to eat to cope with negative affect. These findings highlight the complex role of trauma type and self-blame in shaping health behavior and point to considerations for clinicians working with male survivors, including the challenges some men may face in engaging in regular exercise during trauma recovery.
Youth Perspectives about Readiness for Disaster Events.
Kruger K, Rettell Z, Chang T … +1 more , Bell SA
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2025 Jun · PMID 42021868 · Full text
PURPOSE: To identify youth experiences and perspectives on disaster readiness, with the goal of informing policies that promote youths' ability to better prepare for disasters and to elevate individual and community resi...
PURPOSE: To identify youth experiences and perspectives on disaster readiness, with the goal of informing policies that promote youths' ability to better prepare for disasters and to elevate individual and community resilience. METHODS: MyVoice, a national text message survey of youth aged 14-24 years, posed five open-ended questions on experiences and perceptions of disaster readiness in November 2021. Youth were asked about their experiences with disasters, whether they anticipate experiencing a disaster in the near future, perceived personal disaster readiness, how they would obtain information in the event of a disaster, and what they could do now to prepare for a disaster. Responses were reviewed to identify themes and iteratively develop a codebook. Two reviewers independently coded responses to each question and resolved discrepancies via discussion to reach consensus. Summary statistics were calculated for demographic and thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1,083 respondents answered at least one question (89.9% response rate). Five major themes were identified: 1) youth or their loved ones have experienced severe disasters, 2) they expect these events to be more frequent in the future, 3) youth experiences of and readiness for a disaster event is personal and exists on a continuum, 4) youth have important insights on disasters, and 5) individual, community, and regional differences and limitations directly affect youth's ability to prepare and respond to a disaster. CONCLUSIONS: Youth are significant stakeholders in developing strategies to be ready for disasters and their insights can lead to policy development that allow youth to prioritize the effective readiness strategies to mitigate the potentially traumatic impacts and promote individual and community resilience.
Emotional Reactions to the Oklahoma City Bombing in Relation to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Directly Exposed Survivors.
Pollio EW, Lee MH, Dang C … +4 more , Turner B, Raitt J, North CS, Pollio DE
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2025 Jul · PMID 41836337 · Full text
Existing empirical research examining PTSD related to disaster exposure has generally been limited to quantitative methods and also cross-sectional rather than over time. The purpose of this qualitative study was to retr...
Existing empirical research examining PTSD related to disaster exposure has generally been limited to quantitative methods and also cross-sectional rather than over time. The purpose of this qualitative study was to retrospectively examine postdisaster emotions emerging over time in highly trauma-exposed disaster survivors, comparing individuals with and without PTSD. Survivors of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing were interviewed approximately 17 months after the bombing, assessed for PTSD, and asked to recall their feelings at 3 different time points. The primary finding was that survivors with and without PTSD reported emotions similarly immediately following the disaster, and over time they diverged in reported emotions. Regarding both amount of emotional responses and their content such as intensity in the immediate postdisaster timeframe, some emotions differed between the groups with and without PTSD, reflecting or portending the development of psychopathology. PTSD was associated with more intense feelings of anger and fear and inability to face the reality of the bombing, indicating continuing struggles to successfully process their disaster experience that are characteristic of PTSD. Understanding similarities and differences in the expression of emotional responses over time among survivors in the context of the development and course of PTSD could aid in designing disaster relief protocols targeted to individual mental health needs over time. Further studies are needed to understand how survivors' emotional responses to catastrophic events develop and evolve over a much longer course such as a lifetime.
In-Session Predictors of Treatment Outcome for Intimate Partner Violence: An Examination of Fathers for Change and Treatment as Usual.
Shayani DR, Hayes AM, Grasso DJ … +1 more , Stover CS
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2026 Mar · PMID 41816253 · Full text
Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPs) are the current standard of care for men who use intimate partner violence (IPV). BIPs focus on reshaping men's maladaptive beliefs regarding IPV, women, and gender stereotypes. Howe...
Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPs) are the current standard of care for men who use intimate partner violence (IPV). BIPs focus on reshaping men's maladaptive beliefs regarding IPV, women, and gender stereotypes. However, group-based BIPs have mixed empirical support. Fathers for Change (F4C) is a father-focused intervention with promising initial outcomes that takes an individualized and family-centered approach, emphasizing reflective functioning and emotion regulation. The current study leveraged data from a small randomized controlled trial (RCT) that reported greater reductions in self-reported IPV in men who received individually delivered BIP (BIP-I) and F4C compared to a traditional group-based BIP. An observational coding system was applied to video-recorded therapy sessions to examine in-session variables hypothesized to predict father self-reported IPV and emotion dysregulation. The sample included 50 treatment-seeking fathers with a recent history of IPV and child protective services involvement (BIP-I: = 24; F4C: = 26). Multigroup SEM analyses revealed different predictors of IPV behaviors in BIP-I and F4C. In BIP-I, none of the variables predicted post-treatment IPV, whereas in F4C, less avoidance and more cognitive emotional processing during sessions predicted greater reductions in IPV. Unexpectedly, more rigidity was associated with more improvement in IPV behavior, whereas higher self-efficacy was associated with less improvement. No significant predictors of emotion regulation emerged in either treatment. These findings highlight the importance of examining in-session variables in IPV treatments for fathers, with implications for refining interventions and guiding future research.
Still Rising: Predictors of African American Women's Posttraumatic Growth After Sexual Assault.
Ullman SE, Bryant-Davis T, Lazo CM … +1 more , Nguyen-Martinez A
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2026 Mar · PMID 41788340 · Full text
As the trauma literature begins to incorporate multicultural, feminist, womanist, and strength-based approaches and ideas, research is shifting from a focused examination of PTSD to a more holistic view that includes stu...
As the trauma literature begins to incorporate multicultural, feminist, womanist, and strength-based approaches and ideas, research is shifting from a focused examination of PTSD to a more holistic view that includes studies examining both distress- and growth-related factors (Bryant-Davis & Comas-Diaz, 2016). To this end, a longitudinal community sample of African American adult women survivors of sexual assault (n = 506) was used to examine how various background and post-assault factors related to changes in posttraumatic growth (PTG) over three years, using mixed model regression analyses. Analyses showed that increases in social support and greater total number of traumatic life events were associated with significant increases in PTG levels. Greater characterological self-blame was related to lower average PTG. Seeking counseling following the assault, behavioral self-blame and wave were not significant predictors of changes in PTG. Implications for culturally responsive interventions are provided.
How does Sexual Assault Disclosure Impact the Mental Health and Help-Seeking of Informal Supports?
Ullman SE, Peja T, Harris C … +2 more , Canadas V, Lowry C
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2026 Feb · PMID 41695094 · Full text
Research shows that sexual assault (SA) can impact survivors' informal social network members (e.g., friend, family member, romantic partner), who are the most frequently told persons about the assault by women-identifie...
Research shows that sexual assault (SA) can impact survivors' informal social network members (e.g., friend, family member, romantic partner), who are the most frequently told persons about the assault by women-identified survivors. However, little qualitative work has investigated the impacts on informal support providers (SPs) receiving disclosures of alcohol/drug-related assault, an understudied form of SA. The current qualitative interview study examines the impacts of SA disclosures on informal SPs ( = 27) drawn from a dyadic survivor-SP interview sample using descriptive thematic analysis. Impacts on SPs and their help seeking related to the survivors' alcohol/drug-related SA disclosure included: emotional effects, cognitive and behavioral effects, and impacts on their decisions to seek help from other informal and formal SPs. Implications for research, clinical treatment, and intervention targeting informal SPs of survivors are drawn.
Exploring Associations Between Deployment-Related Events and Moral Injury Outcomes in Post-9/11 Veterans.
Fernandez PE, Kim E, Nieuwsma JA … +1 more , Currier JM
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2025 · PMID 41424601 · Full text
Moral injury is a trauma-related condition that may develop following exposure to events that violate one's deeply held moral beliefs and values (termed "potentially morally injurious events" [PMIEs]). Research has not e...
Moral injury is a trauma-related condition that may develop following exposure to events that violate one's deeply held moral beliefs and values (termed "potentially morally injurious events" [PMIEs]). Research has not examined differential roles of the many protective and iatrogenic experiences surrounding a war-zone deployment that might influence development of moral injury after the military-to-civilian transition. In total, 309 Post-9/11 combat veterans completed a cross-sectional survey including the Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory-2 (DRRI-2), Moral Injury Events Scale, and the Expressions of Moral Injury Scale - Military version after separating from the military. Whether focusing on childhood or pre-deployment experiences or the deployment period itself, bivariate analyses revealed veterans who endorsed moral injury outcomes generally had less relational supports and a range of adverse and potentially traumatic events. Using a multivariate regression analysis with posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity as a covariate, exposures to PMIEs (transgression and betrayal events) were uniquely linked with greater moral injury outcomes in the presence of other stressful events and possible traumas. However, perception of greater unit support was also uniquely inversely associated with moral injury outcomes in this analysis. In combination, these results affirm the probable link between varying types of PMIE exposures and moral injury outcomes while also suggesting the vital importance of having a cohesive and supportive unit during a war-zone deployment.
Identifying In-the-Moment Reasons for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-Related Drinking: A Qualitative Investigation.
Zaso MJ, Fetkenhour LM, Park Y … +5 more , Simpson TL, Chung T, Colder CR, Dvorak RD, Read JP
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Dec · PMID 40857516 · Full text
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) confers considerable risk for alcohol-related harms. Trauma-exposed individuals may turn to alcohol in response to intrusive trauma-related symptoms (e.g., memories, flashbacks, night...
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) confers considerable risk for alcohol-related harms. Trauma-exposed individuals may turn to alcohol in response to intrusive trauma-related symptoms (e.g., memories, flashbacks, nightmares) or distressing trauma-related emotions, with such desires to drink shifting dynamically in-the-moment in response to PTSD symptoms. However, the in-the-moment reasons for drinking that may underlie these dynamic processes remain largely unknown. The present qualitative study aimed to identify key in-the-moment PTSD-related reasons for drinking. Focus groups of frequent drinkers with a provisional diagnosis of past-month PTSD recruited from the community ( = 39; 44% female adults) provided in-depth information on their reasons for drinking during several recent drinking episodes. Focus group data were subjected to directed content analysis. Findings revealed several novel insights regarding in-the-moment reasons for PTSD-related drinking. Participants endorsed perceptions that alcohol could numb trauma-related thoughts and emotions or distract from intrusive symptoms (i.e., negative reinforcement). Participants also described perceptions that alcohol could enhance positive emotions amid persistent negative mood and help process complex trauma-related memories as well as facilitate interpersonal connection. Results identify specific, in-the-moment reasons for drinking in response to emergent PTSD symptoms, which appear at times unique from more general drinking motivations. Findings shed light on potential risk pathways for problem drinking in response to PTSD symptoms as they occur across daily life. These specific in-the-moment reasons for drinking could represent important clinical targets for real-time, adaptive interventions for comorbid PTSD and problem alcohol use.
A multiverse analysis examining measurement factors of potentially traumatic events that influence predictability of developmental functioning among children.
McGuire A, Jackson Y
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2025 Mar · PMID 40475277 · Full text
Research that seeks to better understand the connection between potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and children's well-being continues to develop from inadequate and inconsistent assessment practices. Not only does vari...
Research that seeks to better understand the connection between potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and children's well-being continues to develop from inadequate and inconsistent assessment practices. Not only does variability exist within what PTE characteristics are collected, but there is also variability in how this information is used to create and analyze PTE exposure. This study used a multiverse analysis to examine the utility of assessing multiple PTE characteristics when predicting children's level of developmental functioning, and whether the operationalization technique influenced these relations. Preschool-age children ( = 325; Mean age = 4.19; 49.5% female; 73% Black) were administered developmental and cognitive assessments, and caregivers reported on their child's PTE. Children's PTE history was then examined in relation to classification of being at-risk of poor developmental functioning using logistic regression and machine learning approaches based on different characteristics of PTE exposure (i.e., polyvictimization, frequency, duration) and methods for operationalizing these characteristics (i.e., sum, mean, max). Results suggested that PTE was not associated with developmental functioning; however, divergence from this pattern was observed with certain PTE characterizations and operationalizations. Findings illustrate the importance of evaluating how data processing decisions may influence findings and why multiverse analysis frameworks may helpful when examining PTE.
Main and Interactive Effects of Negative Posttraumatic Cognitions and Disgust Sensitivity in Predicting Daily Experiences of Sexual Trauma-Related Mental Contamination.
Tipsword JM, McCann JP, Flores J … +2 more , Brake CA, Badour CL
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Sep · PMID 39734400 · Full text
Trauma-related mental contamination, or a sense of dirtiness occurring without recent contact with a contaminant, is a distressing and often persistent phenomenon after sexual trauma. Following sexual trauma, cross-secti...
Trauma-related mental contamination, or a sense of dirtiness occurring without recent contact with a contaminant, is a distressing and often persistent phenomenon after sexual trauma. Following sexual trauma, cross-sectional work has demonstrated separate positive associations between mental contamination and 1) negative posttraumatic cognitions about oneself, the world, and/or self-blame and 2) disgust sensitivity - defined as the extent to which one is prone to distress when experiencing disgust. However, existing work has been primarily restricted to cross-sectional designs and has yet to consider the potential moderating role of disgust sensitivity in associations between negative posttraumatic cognitions and persistent mental contamination. The present study used a daily monitoring design to evaluate main and interactive effects of negative posttraumatic cognitions (about the self, world, and self-blame) and disgust sensitivity in predicting daily experiences of mental contamination among a sample of 39 women with a history of sexual trauma. Results revealed a significant main effect of posttraumatic cognitions about the self in predicting subsequent mental contamination. An unexpected interaction also emerged for posttraumatic cognitions about the world, wherein such cognitions only significantly predicted daily mental contamination among women high in disgust sensitivity. Findings offer preliminary understanding regarding the role of cognitions about the self in contributing to ongoing mental contamination, as well as the potential contributing role of cognitions about the world among women more vulnerable to distress when experiencing disgust. Future work should consider the potential for bidirectional relationships between negative posttraumatic cognitions and trauma-related mental contamination.
Intrapersonal Functions of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Statistically Mediate the Effect of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms on Fearlessness About Death.
Boffa JW, Ennis CR, Raines AM … +2 more , Stecker T, Beckham JC
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Dec · PMID 42368999 · Full text
OBJECTIVE: Although not all trauma-exposed individuals develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms or NSSI, it has been suggested that those who use NSSI as a means of coping with PTSD symptoms increase their a...
OBJECTIVE: Although not all trauma-exposed individuals develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms or NSSI, it has been suggested that those who use NSSI as a means of coping with PTSD symptoms increase their acquired capability for suicide. This study sought to test the relationship between PTSD symptom clusters, functions of NSSI, and suicide capability (i.e., fearlessness about death [FAD]) in a trauma-exposed sample of individuals with a history of self-injury. METHOD: Self-report data were collected from undergraduates ( = 58) who ranged in age from 18-38 years ( = 19.62, = 3.28). Participants were primarily female (86.2%). Most identified as White (81%), 12.1% identified as African American/Black, 1.7% as Asian, 1.7% as American Indian/Alaskan Native and 3.5% of identified as Biracial. A parallel mediation model was employed. RESULTS: Global PTSD symptoms exhibited a statistically significant positive relationship with intrapersonal (e.g., emotion regulation) and interpersonal (e.g., social) functions of NSSI. However, only intrapersonal functions were statistically significantly related to FAD. Although PTSD symptoms did not demonstrate a direct relationship with FAD, there was an indirect effect of PTSD symptoms on FAD through intrapersonal functions of NSSI. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in NSSI for the purpose of managing PTSD symptoms may contribute to FAD beyond the presence of PTSD symptoms or NSSI. Clinical interventions that promote adaptive emotional regulation strategies may help to thwart increases in FAD for trauma-exposed samples.
Latent Profiles of Drinking Motives Among Trauma-Exposed Combat Veterans and Civilians: A Comparative Investigation.
Jackson BN, Bountress KE, Hahn AM … +6 more , Hawn SE, Aggen SH, Bacanu SA, Amstadter A, Danielson CK, Sheerin CM
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Sep · PMID 39582777 · Full text
Trauma exposure and drinking motives (e.g., social, enhancement, coping) are both associated with increased alcohol use and related problems. Studies have frequently investigated this relationship by examining drinking m...
Trauma exposure and drinking motives (e.g., social, enhancement, coping) are both associated with increased alcohol use and related problems. Studies have frequently investigated this relationship by examining drinking motives, such as drinking to cope with negative affect, in isolation, yet few studies have examined motives simultaneously in trauma-exposed populations. It is also unclear whether the relationship between drinking motives and alcohol use outcomes differs as a function of population characteristics (e.g., gender, trauma type). Using latent profile analysis (LPA), we aimed to 1) identify latent profiles characterized by drinking motives, assessed with the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ), in two samples: primarily male veterans with combat trauma (=174) and civilians with interpersonal trauma (=152), and 2) determine whether associations with alcohol use outcomes of consumption and binge drinking would differ by sample. A 3-class solution was replicated across both samples: profiles characterized by moderate Social scores and low Enhancement and Coping scores (Low ENH/COP), moderate scores across all domains (Medium DMQ), and elevated scores across all domains (High DMQ). In both samples, profile membership was differentially associated with consumption and binge drinking. Findings suggest patterns of drinking motives may be similar across different trauma-exposed populations, but associations with alcohol outcomes likely differ in meaningful ways. Results can help inform targeted interventions at different treatment settings, such as community health centers or VA hospitals.
A Longitudinal Investigation of the Buffering Effects of Resilience on Body Mass Index in Trauma-Exposed College Students.
Cusack SE, Lanoye A, Spit for Science Working Group … +1 more , LaRose JG
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2023 Sep · PMID 39280576 · Full text
PURPOSE: College students are at an increased risk for trauma exposure (TE), as well as weight gain and subsequent obesity. Notably, existing research has demonstrated that TE is associated with subsequent obesity. Howev...
PURPOSE: College students are at an increased risk for trauma exposure (TE), as well as weight gain and subsequent obesity. Notably, existing research has demonstrated that TE is associated with subsequent obesity. However, there is a dearth of literature looking at this relationship in college students who are at increased risk. Given this increased risk, there is a need to identify protective factors in the wake of TE that may buffer against the adverse impacts of TE on physical health outcomes. As such, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between college onset TE on subsequent BMI, and to examine psychological resilience as a buffer in this relationship. METHODS: Trauma exposed college students (= 2,281, Mage=18.5, 61.6% female, 50.3% identifying as racial/ethnic minorities) completed measures of TE, weight, height, and resilience. Individuals completed measures at baseline and at spring follow-up time points each year after. Resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and both new onset TE and BMI were assessed at Y2, Y3, and Y4. RESULTS: There was no significant main effect of new onset TE on BMI, nor an interaction between resilience and new onset TE. There was a main effect of resilience on later BMI, whereby those with higher levels of reported resilience reported higher BMI in subsequent years (Y2: B=.36, <.05; Y3: B= .37= <.01). CONCLUSIONS: The positive association between resilience and BMI is not consistent with our hypotheses. Findings suggest that resilience does not buffer against physical health outcomes.
Differential Indirect Effects of Military Sexual Trauma on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Clusters via Past-Year Intimate Partner Violence Experiences.
Mahoney CT, Shayani DR, Iverson KM
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Mar · PMID 38818344 · Full text
Women who serve in the military are at high risk for experiencing military sexual trauma (MST) and intimate partner violence (IPV), both of which are associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To i...
Women who serve in the military are at high risk for experiencing military sexual trauma (MST) and intimate partner violence (IPV), both of which are associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To improve understanding of the psychological effects of experiencing multiple forms of interpersonal violence, it is important to identify the ways in which recent IPV experiences differentially increase the risk of specific PTSD symptom clusters for women with a history of MST. We aimed to identify if past-year IPV experiences mediate the relation between MST experiences and PTSD symptom clusters (i.e., intrusions, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions/mood, hyperarousal) using structural equation modeling. A mail survey was administered to a sample of US female veterans at two time points 12 months apart. Among 198 participants, 108 women (54.5%) reported MST at Time 1, and 73 women (36.9%) reported IPV experiences in the past year at Time 2. PTSD symptom severity ranged from asymptomatic to beyond the diagnostic cutoff for a probable PTSD diagnosis. Past-year IPV experiences significantly mediated the association between MST history and PTSD avoidance symptoms, and MST history and PTSD negative alterations in cognitive/mood symptoms. No significant mediating effect was found for intrusion symptoms or hyperarousal symptoms. These findings can inform evidence-based practices for appropriate screening, assessment, detection, and intervention, including primary and secondary prevention efforts to instrumentally reduce future experiences of violence for female survivors of interpersonal violence.
Parental Descriptions of Childhood Avoidance Symptoms after Trauma.
Blair-Andrews Z, Salloum A, Evans S … +2 more , Phares V, Storch EA
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Mar · PMID 38818343 · Full text
Recognizing and diagnosing the avoidance symptom cluster of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young children has been challenging. This study examines caregivers' descriptions of young children's avoidance reaction...
Recognizing and diagnosing the avoidance symptom cluster of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young children has been challenging. This study examines caregivers' descriptions of young children's avoidance reactions. By describing parents' examples of childhood avoidance, clinicians, researchers, and educators may be able to provide more specific psychoeducation which may improve identification of avoidance behaviors in young children. Caregivers (N=73) of young children (age 3-7 years) participated in a semi-structured diagnostic clinical interview prior to enrolling in a clinical trial for childhood trauma. The assessment regarding the caregiver's description of the child's avoidance was audio recorded and transcribed for a thematic analysis. Most caregivers reported that the child experienced avoidance. Avoidance of conversation and places were the most reported type of child avoidance. Other types of avoidance included avoiding people, things, interpersonal situations, and activities. Some caregivers thought that their child avoided thoughts and feelings, but other caregivers were unsure if their child was avoiding these types of private experiences. Caregiver avoidance and non-avoidance also emerged as a main theme. Diagnosis for PTSD in young children relies on accurate symptom identification. Current results provide insight into how caregivers describe avoidant reactions in their children which may help professionals with accurate diagnoses, as well as help caregivers become better reporters themselves.
Intimate Partner Violence Among Service Members and Veterans: Differences by Sex and Rurality.
Albright DL, McDaniel J, Godfrey K … +3 more , Carlson C, Fletcher KL, Thomas KH
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2024 Mar · PMID 38818342 · Full text
Among military service members and veterans (SMVs), factors unique to military service may contribute to an elevated risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Although rurality has been establis...
Among military service members and veterans (SMVs), factors unique to military service may contribute to an elevated risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Although rurality has been established as a risk factor for IPV, differences in IPV victimization by rural- urban dwelling location, SMV status, and sex have not been explored. The purpose of this study was to estimate the rate of IPV victimization in rural and urban areas in the United States by SMV status and sex. We obtained Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data (BRFSS; = 18,755); fit a mixed-effects, multilevel generalized linear model to the data for IPV victimization; and linked the model to U.S. Census Bureau population count data. We generated predicted estimates of IPV for SMVs and civilians separately by sex in rural and urban areas. The direct IPV victimization prevalence rate for the entire BRFSS sample was 16.90%. Substantial variation in model-based IPV prevalence was observed across subgroups. Female SMVs (rural = 23.54%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [17.33, 30.02]; urban = 23.34%, 95% CI [17.48, 30.17]) had higher IPV victimization rates than female civilians (rural = 14.55%, 95% CI [13.06, 16.37]; urban = 14.50%, 95% CI [13.19, 16.34]), whereas male civilians (rural = 8.06%, 95% CI [7.19, 9.08]; urban = 8.02%, 95% CI [7.27, 9.02]) had higher IPV victimization rates than male SMVs (rural = 7.21%, 95% CI [6.03, 8.47]; urban = 7.17%, 95% CI [6.00, 8.41]). Programming for preventing and assisting in recovering from IPV exposure should target rural-dwelling female SMVs.
Support-Seeking and Active Coping Mitigate the Association Between Posttrauma Symptom Severity and Attachment Insecurity in a Community Sample of Trauma Survivors.
Shaw TJ, Jakubiak BK, Scheer JR
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2023 Dec · PMID 38384933 · Full text
There is an established association between posttrauma symptom severity (PTSS) and attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance). However, few studies have examined this association among community samples of trauma-expo...
There is an established association between posttrauma symptom severity (PTSS) and attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance). However, few studies have examined this association among community samples of trauma-exposed individuals and identified factors that might moderate these associations. We sought to (a) replicate existing associations between PTSS and attachment insecurity in a community sample of trauma survivors and (b) determine the potential moderating role of support-seeking and coping behaviors. Our sample included 824 trauma-exposed individuals ( = 31.6, = 20.0; = 37.4, = 13.2; 69.3% female; 79.1% White; 77.2% heterosexual). Participants completed an online survey via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Linear regression and moderation analyses tested the association between PTSS and attachment insecurity and whether support-seeking and coping behaviors moderated these associations. PTSS was positively associated with global attachment anxiety (β = .48, 95% confidence interval [.42, .54]) and global attachment avoidance (β = .06, [.15, .29]). The association between PTSS and attachment avoidance was weaker for people who reported greater instrumental and emotional support-seeking or greater active coping. This study provides evidence for the association between PTSS and attachment insecurity. Findings underscore the need to understand causal mechanisms underlying this association and critically evaluate how existing and future interventions can buffer attachment insecurity in trauma-exposed individuals.
A Longitudinal Investigation of Resilience as a Protective Factor During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Cusack SE, Bountress KE, Denckla CA … +4 more , Spit for Science Working Group, Vassileva J, Dick DM, Amstadter AB
Traumatology (Tallahass Fla) · 2022 Sep · PMID 36504730 · Full text
COVID-19 is a global stressor that has been shown to impact mental health outcomes. Given that COVID-19 is a unique stressor that has been shown to have mental health consequences, identifying protective factors is imper...
COVID-19 is a global stressor that has been shown to impact mental health outcomes. Given that COVID-19 is a unique stressor that has been shown to have mental health consequences, identifying protective factors is imperative. The protective influences of resilience are demonstrated through the extant literature, though less is known about resilience and COVID-19 impact. The current study seeks to expand the existing literature on resilience, and on mental health outcomes influenced by COVID-19, by longitudinally investigating relative resilience as a buffer against posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol consumption, in the wake of a global pandemic. Participants included 549 undergraduates with a history of lifetime trauma exposure. Using a longitudinal path model, we tested the interaction between relative resilience (i.e., an individual's deviation from distress levels predicted by prior trauma exposure relative to other individuals in the same cohort) and COVID-19 impact domains (i.e., social media use, worry, exposure, change in substance use, and housing/food insecurity) on PTSD symptoms and alcohol consumption. Findings demonstrate a significant interaction between the COVID-19 worry impact domain and baseline resilience on later PTSD symptoms, whereby COVID-19 worry impacts PTSD symptoms at low levels of resilience (β = .26, < .001), marginally impacts PTSD symptoms at mean levels of resilience (β = .09, = .05), and does not impact PTSD symptoms at high levels of resilience (β = -.08, = .16). There were no significant main effects nor interaction effects of resilience on alcohol consumption. This article adds to the literature on resilience and COVID-19 through examining both internalizing (i.e., PTSD) and substance use outcomes, using longitudinal data, and using a quantitative measure of resilience.
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