The impact of negative attributions on the link between observed partner social support and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity (original) (raw)
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Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 2011
Poor social support in the aftermath of a traumatic event is a well-established risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adult trauma survivors. Yet, a great deal about the relationship between social support and PTSD remains poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed data from 102 survivors of a serious motor vehicle accident (MVA) at 4 weeks (Time 1) and 16 weeks (Time 2) post-MVA. We assessed the role of perceived dyadic social support, positive dyadic interaction, and negative dyadic interaction in the development and maintenance of PTSD. In addition, we examined how these social support constructs work together with negative post-trauma cognitions to affect the maintenance of PTSD. Neither perceived social support nor the quality of social interaction (i.e., positive or negative) was associated with PTSD symptom severity at Time 1. However, among those with elevated PTSD symptom severity at Time 1, greater social support and positive social interaction and lower negative social interaction were each associated with reductions in PTSD symptom severity from Time 1 to Time 2. For social support and negative social interaction, this association ceased to be significant when jointly assessed with negative post-trauma cognitions, suggesting that perceived social support and negative dyadic interaction were associated with maintenance of PTSD symptom severity because of their association with negative posttrauma cognitions. These results provide support to models and treatments of PTSD that emphasize the role of negative post-trauma cognitions in maintenance of PTSD.
Journal of Family Psychology, 2013
Although previous research has shown a negative relation between partner support and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity among military service members following deployment, the mediating mechanisms of this effect remain poorly understood. This study examined willingness to disclose deployment-and combat-related experiences as a mediating mechanism underlying the linkage between intimate partner support and PTSD symptom severity in a sample of 76 U.S. Air Force service members deployed to Iraq in a year-long, high-risk mission. Airmen's reports of overall social support, and partner support specifically, significantly predicted concurrent postdeployment PTSD symptom severity. Subsequent mediation analyses demonstrated that level of disclosure of deployment-and combat-related experiences by service members to their intimate partners accounted for a significant portion of the relation between partner support and postdeployment PTSD symptom severity. The level of Airmen's disclosure was also inversely related to levels of relationship distress. Implications of these findings for prevention and intervention strategies and for further research are discussed.
Overt social support behaviors: Associations with PTSD, concurrent depressive symptoms and gender
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2014
Women are twice as likely as men to develop a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Gender differences in social support after a traumatic event might partially explain this disparity. However, the portrait of the links among PTSD, depression, social support, and gender is still unclear. This study examined behaviors of individuals with PTSD and their significant other in relation to PTSD and concurrent depressive symptoms, and tested gender as a moderator of these associations. Observed overt supportive and countersupportive behaviors of 68 dyads composed of an individual with PTSD and a significant other in a trauma-oriented discussion were coded with a support coding system and analyzed according to gender. Gender was revealed to act as a moderator of the links between interactional behaviors of individuals with PTSD and their concurrent depressive symptoms. More specifically, women were less implicated and less likely to propose positive solutions compared with men. On the other hand, men were more implicated and less likely to criticize their significant other than were women. PTSD and concurrent depressive symptoms were related to poorer interpersonal communication in women. Hence, women and men with PTSD and concurrent depressive symptoms might benefit from gender-tailored interventions targeting symptoms and dyadic behaviors.
Problems in intimate relationships frequently occur among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study includes examination of whether deficits in the intimacy process occur among couples affected by PTSD, and whether gender differences exist in the association between PTSD symptom severity and intimate behaviors. Heterosexual community couples in which at least 1 partner was experiencing elevated symptoms of PTSD were video-recorded while discussing positive and negative aspects of their relationship. Each partner's intimacy behaviors (i.e., self-disclosure and support provision) were coded. Results of an actor-partner interdependence model indicate that husbands, but not wives, with greater PTSD symptom severity provided less support (i.e., expressions of understanding, validation, and caring) to their partners during discussions of negative aspects of their relationship. This finding supports prior literature while increasing generalizability beyond samples of male combat veterans and addressing a possible confound of prior research that has exclusively relied on self-reported intimacy. In addition, wives' PTSD symptom severity was associated with husbands engaging in more self-disclosure when discussing negative aspects of their relationship, which may have represented husbands' expression of more negative thoughts and feelings in this context. Overall, women appeared to be resilient against the potential negative impact of PTSD symptoms on their ability to continue providing intimacy behaviors to their partners.
Impact of social support on severity of posttraumatic stress disorder
Acta Medica …, 2010
The last decade of the 20th century, with its well-known events in the former Yugoslavia, resulted in an increased number of cases of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This, however, imposed the need for a better understanding of this disorder for the purpose of ...
Journal of Family Psychology, 2013
Problems in intimate relationships frequently occur among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study includes examination of whether deficits in the intimacy process occur among couples affected by PTSD, and whether gender differences exist in the association between PTSD symptom severity and intimate behaviors. Heterosexual community couples in which at least 1 partner was experiencing elevated symptoms of PTSD were video-recorded while discussing positive and negative aspects of their relationship. Each partner's intimacy behaviors (i.e., self-disclosure and support provision) were coded. Results of an actor-partner interdependence model indicate that husbands, but not wives, with greater PTSD symptom severity provided less support (i.e., expressions of understanding, validation, and caring) to their partners during discussions of negative aspects of their relationship. This finding supports prior literature while increasing generalizability beyond samples of male combat veterans and addressing a possible confound of prior research that has exclusively relied on self-reported intimacy. In addition, wives' PTSD symptom severity was associated with husbands engaging in more self-disclosure when discussing negative aspects of their relationship, which may have represented husbands' expression of more negative thoughts and feelings in this context. Overall, women appeared to be resilient against the potential negative impact of PTSD symptoms on their ability to continue providing intimacy behaviors to their partners.
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 2011
Social support and coping are both related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying their relationships remain unclear. This study explores these relationships by examining the perceived frequency of supportive and countersupportive interactions with a significant other in PTSD patients. Ninety-six participants with PTSD were recruited and completed questionnaires assessing social interactions, ways of coping, and PTSD symptoms. Associations of social interactions (r 2 = 4.1%-7.9%, p < .05) and coping (r 2 = 15.9%-16.5%, p < .001) with symptoms were independent, and suggested a direct association between social interactions and PTSD. Countersupportive interactions were more associated to symptoms than supportive interactions. Our findings suggest the development of psychotherapies that integrate social support interventions.
Psychological and Relationship Distress Among Partners of Civilian PTSD Patients
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 2009
Significant others of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may experience both intrapersonal and interpersonal distress as caregivers. The aim of the present study is 3-fold: (1) to examine symptoms of psychological and relationship distress (anxiety, depression, and dyadic adjustment) among partners of civilian patients with PTSD, (2) to investigate the links between partners' distress and PTSD patients' symptoms (severity; intrusion, avoidance, and arousal subscales), and to explore the perception of mental and physical health, types of trauma and compare partners and PTSD patients' measures. Fifty-seven PTSD patients and their partners filled out 4 questionnaires: Marital Adjustment Test, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Medical Outcome Survey-Short Form-12. Results showed that only a minority of partners presented clinical levels of depression (16.7%), anxiety (14.8%), and relationship distress (37%). Pearson correlations analyses revealed an absence of statistically significant relationship between partners' distress and PTSD patients' symptoms. In conclusion, although our study is not a direct validation of the secondary traumatic stress model, our findings fail to provide strong support to the secondary traumatic stress hypothesis among partners of civilian PTSD patients. AQ:6 balt3/zkk-nmd/zkk-nmd/zkk00709/zkk3167-09a saylora S5؍ 6/22/09 10:03 Art: NMD200896