Blechert Jens, Michael Tanja, Wilhelm Frank H
Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria.
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarland University, Campus, D-66123 Saarbrücken.
J Exp Psychopathol. 2019 May 21;4(4):435-447. doi: 10.5127/jep.030712.
Exaggerated startle is a core hyperarousal symptom of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Observational studies on the characteristics of this response are strikingly lacking. Previous research has demonstrated that detailed video analysis of facial and bodily responses to startling stimuli enables the differentiation of an initial, primarily reflexive response and a secondary, primary emotional response. We exposed PTSD patients ( = 34) and trauma-exposed but healthy participants (TE group, = 26) to startling electric stimuli while acquiring observational behavioral, psychophysiological, and experiential measures. Videographic results indicate that PTSD patients' initial bodily startle response was stronger than in the TE group, and their secondary facial expression was more negatively valenced, largely due to elevated anger expression. Videographic assessment of primary and secondary startle responses provides a new window into reflexive and emotional functioning of PTSD and may therefore complement existing startle measures. PTSD treatments should address bodily startle, negative symptom appraisals, and anger more specifically.
夸张的惊吓反应是创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的一种核心过度唤醒症状。关于这种反应特征的观察性研究极为匮乏。先前的研究表明，通过对面部和身体对惊吓刺激的反应进行详细的视频分析，可以区分最初的、主要是反射性的反应和次要的、主要的情绪反应。我们让34名PTSD患者和26名有过创伤经历但健康的参与者（TE组）暴露于惊吓性电刺激下，同时获取观察性行为、心理生理和体验性测量数据。视频记录结果表明，PTSD患者最初的身体惊吓反应比TE组更强，且他们的次要面部表情的负性情绪更强，这主要是由于愤怒表情增加所致。对主要和次要惊吓反应的视频记录评估为PTSD的反射性和情绪功能提供了一个新窗口，因此可能补充现有的惊吓测量方法。PTSD治疗应更具体地针对身体惊吓、负面症状评估和愤怒。
