Positive Emotion Dysregulation Among Community Individuals: The Role of Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-749
Author(s):  
Nicole H. Weiss ◽  
Ateka A. Contractor ◽  
Shannon R. Forkus ◽  
Svetlana Goncharenko ◽  
Alexa M. Raudales
2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 914-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole H. Weiss ◽  
Matthew T. Tull ◽  
Kim L. Gratz

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with a wide range of risky behaviors (e.g., substance use and risky sexual behaviors); however, few studies have examined mechanisms that may underlie risky behaviors in this population. The present study utilized a prospective experimental design to examine the effects of emotion dysregulation and impulsivity on risky behaviors across time. Thirty women with sexual assault–related PTSD were randomly assigned to receive emotion modulation (EM), impulsivity reduction (IR), or healthy living (HL; comparison condition) skills trainings. Participants completed measures of emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and risky behaviors pre-manipulation and 1-month post-manipulation. Participants in the EM and IR conditions reported a significant reduction in risky behaviors from pre- to post-manipulation relative to the HL condition. Changes in emotion dysregulation from pre- to post-manipulation fully accounted for reductions in risky behaviors over time. Results provide preliminary experimental support for the role of emotion dysregulation in risky behaviors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie K. T. Takarangi ◽  
Rashelle A. Smith ◽  
Deryn Strange ◽  
Heather D. Flowe

Can metacognition increase trauma sufferers’ risk for developing and maintaining posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? We assessed the role of a range of cognitive and metacognitive belief domains—including metamemory—on PTSD symptoms. Adult participants reported their existing meta/cognitions and lifetime exposure to trauma, then 12 weeks later, they reported meta/cognitions and PTSD symptoms in relation to new trauma exposure since the initial assessment. Participants with more PTSD symptoms held more problematic metacognitions than participants with fewer distress symptoms. Moreover, people who endorsed maladaptive metacognitions before trauma exposure were more likely to experience symptoms of PTSD after exposure. Metacognition predicted the maintenance of elevated PTSD symptoms over the 12-week delay. Our findings support the metacognitive model of PTSD and highlight the importance of metamemory, an understudied factor in PTSD research.


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