Kiefer R, Goncharenko S, Forkus SR, Contractor AA, LeBlanc N, Weiss NH. Role of positive emotion regulation strategies in the association between childhood trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder among trauma-exposed individuals who use substances.
ANXIETY, STRESS, AND COPING 2023;
36:366-381. [PMID:
35603928 PMCID:
PMC9679041 DOI:
10.1080/10615806.2022.2079636]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The co-occurrence of childhood trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent and clinically significant. Existing research emphasizes the role of emotion regulation in the relation between childhood trauma and PTSD. Yet, research in this area has almost exclusively examined the influence of strategies aimed at regulating negative emotions, such as anger and sadness.
OBJECTIVE
To extend existing research, the current study examined underlying roles of strategies for regulating positive emotions (i.e., self- and emotion-focused positive rumination and positive dampening) in the association between childhood trauma severity and PTSD symptoms.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
Participants were 320 trauma-exposed community individuals who reported past 30-day substance use (Mage = 35.78, 50.3% men, 81.6% white).
METHOD
Analyses examined whether childhood trauma severity was indirectly related to PTSD symptoms through self-focused positive rumination, emotion-focused positive rumination, and positive dampening.
RESULTS
Positive dampening, but not positive self- and emotion-focused positive rumination, indirectly explained associations between childhood trauma severity and PTSD symptoms (B = .17, SE = .03, 95% CI [.12, .24]).
CONCLUSIONS
These findings highlight the potential utility of targeting positive dampening in the treatment of PTSD symptoms among individuals who use substances with a history of childhood trauma.
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