Mattson Elsa, James Lisa, Engdahl Brian
Brain Science Center, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN.
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN.
Mil Med. 2018 Sep 1;183(9-10):e475-e480. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usx201.
Traumatic experiences can trigger negative effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, some individuals may also experience positive changes following trauma exposure. These changes are known as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Dispositional and situational factors are likely at play in determining both severity of PTSD symptoms and whether and to what degree an individual experiences PTG. This study examined how coping style and personality traits interact to influence PTSD and PTG.
Two hundred and seventy-one Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans not engaged in mental health treatment completed self-report measures of trauma exposure, personality traits, coping styles, PTSD symptoms, and PTG. The study was approved by the Minneapolis VAHCS Institutional Review Board.
Adaptive coping and positive personality traits such as openness were positively correlated with PTG. Maladaptive coping and neuroticism were positively correlated with PTSD symptoms. Regression analyses indicated that an inverted-U (quadratic) curve characterized the relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG; veterans who reported moderate PTSD levels reported the most PTG. Mediation analyses revealed that adaptive coping partially mediated the relationship between openness and PTG. Maladaptive coping partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and PTSD symptoms.
This study demonstrated that coping style mediated relationships between personality traits and post-trauma outcomes. Our findings are subject to the limitations of the self-report and cross-sectional nature of the data. Longitudinal studies, preferably incorporating coping-oriented interventions, could convincingly demonstrate the impact of coping style on PTSD and PTG. As coping styles can be modified, our findings nonetheless suggest that coping-oriented clinical intervention has potential to reduce PTSD symptoms and promote positive growth following trauma exposure.
创伤经历可能引发诸如创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）等负面影响。然而，一些个体在经历创伤后也可能会有积极的变化。这些变化被称为创伤后成长（PTG）。气质性和情境性因素可能在决定PTSD症状的严重程度以及个体是否经历PTG及其程度方面发挥作用。本研究考察了应对方式和人格特质如何相互作用以影响PTSD和PTG。
271名未接受心理健康治疗的伊拉克自由行动/持久自由行动退伍军人完成了关于创伤暴露、人格特质、应对方式、PTSD症状和PTG的自我报告测量。该研究获得了明尼阿波利斯退伍军人事务医疗中心机构审查委员会的批准。
适应性应对以及诸如开放性等积极人格特质与PTG呈正相关。适应不良的应对方式和神经质与PTSD症状呈正相关。回归分析表明，PTSD症状与PTG之间的关系呈倒U形（二次曲线）；报告中度PTSD水平的退伍军人PTG程度最高。中介分析显示，适应性应对部分介导了开放性与PTG之间的关系。适应不良的应对方式部分介导了神经质与PTSD症状之间的关系。
本研究表明应对方式介导了人格特质与创伤后结果之间的关系。我们的研究结果受到数据的自我报告性质和横断面性质的限制。纵向研究，最好纳入以应对为导向的干预措施，能够令人信服地证明应对方式对PTSD和PTG的影响。由于应对方式可以改变，我们的研究结果仍然表明，以应对为导向的临床干预有潜力减轻PTSD症状并促进创伤暴露后的积极成长。
