Tipsword Jordyn M, McCann Jesse P, Moloney Mairead, Quinkert Ellie M, Brake C Alex, Badour Christal L
University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2024 Aug 6:8862605241268785. doi: 10.1177/08862605241268785.
Trauma-related mental contamination (MC) is a distressing sense of dirtiness that arises absent a contaminant following a traumatic event. Existing work has linked MC to more severe posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among individuals with sexual trauma histories and has begun to characterize some aspects of the experience of trauma-related MC. However, a more nuanced understanding of how individuals experience and respond to trauma-related MC is lacking. The present study explored lived experiences of trauma-related MC among a sample of 34 women with sexual trauma histories using semi-structured qualitative interviews. Women were asked about MC across several domains, including somatic locations where trauma-related MC is experienced; triggers for trauma-related MC; and engagement in MC-related coping strategies, including washing behaviors. Women reported experiencing trauma-related MC in various bodily locations (internal, external, and both). Both overtly trauma-related triggers (e.g., trauma-relevant people or words, sexual contact) and non-trauma-related triggers (e.g., sweating, being around other people) were mentioned. Women also reported experiencing a variety of emotions alongside trauma-related MC (e.g., disgust, shame, anger) and using a range of strategies to cope with trauma-related MC, including washing behaviors, distraction, and substance use. Findings suggest that triggers for and responses to trauma-related MC are heterogeneous. Future work should explore the role of context in individuals' experiences of and responses to trauma-related MC, as well as whether experiences of trauma-related MC may differ by gender or across settings. Increased understanding of trauma-related MC may inform efforts to more readily and effectively identify and target MC in clinical practice.
创伤相关的心理污染（MC）是一种令人痛苦的肮脏感，在创伤事件后没有污染物的情况下出现。现有研究已将心理污染与有性创伤史个体中更严重的创伤后应激障碍症状联系起来，并已开始描述创伤相关心理污染体验的某些方面。然而，对于个体如何体验和应对创伤相关心理污染，仍缺乏更细致入微的理解。本研究通过半结构化定性访谈，探讨了34名有性创伤史女性样本中创伤相关心理污染的生活经历。研究人员询问了这些女性在多个领域的心理污染情况，包括体验到创伤相关心理污染的身体部位；创伤相关心理污染的触发因素；以及参与与心理污染相关的应对策略，包括洗涤行为。女性报告称在身体的各个部位（内部、外部以及两者皆有）体验到创伤相关心理污染。她们提到了与创伤明显相关的触发因素（如与创伤相关的人或言语、性接触）以及与创伤无关的触发因素（如出汗、与他人在一起）。女性还报告称在经历创伤相关心理污染时伴有多种情绪（如厌恶、羞耻、愤怒），并使用了一系列策略来应对创伤相关心理污染，包括洗涤行为、分散注意力和使用药物。研究结果表明，创伤相关心理污染的触发因素和应对方式具有异质性。未来的研究应探讨背景在个体创伤相关心理污染体验和应对中的作用，以及创伤相关心理污染的体验是否因性别或环境而异。对创伤相关心理污染的进一步了解可能有助于在临床实践中更轻松、有效地识别和针对心理污染。
