Exposure to adversity and negative cognitive style independently predict symptoms of posttraumatic stress in youth

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Exposure to childhood trauma and adversity (i.e., emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse) has been linked to a host of negative psychological outcomes for children (Felitti et al., 1998; Norman et al., 2012). Another vulnerability for psychopathology, particularly shown in depression research, is a negative cognitive style involving attributions of uncontrollable negative events as internal (vs. external), stable (vs. unstable), and global (vs. specific) (Hankin and Abramson, 2002; Dunbar et al., 2013). One central symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder is negative alterations in cognition (e.g., persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world, or about the cause or consequences of events), and some research has shown that well-established treatments for PTSD change cognitive appraisals and post-traumatic cognitions (Jensen et al., 2018; Kleim et al., 2013). However, the combined roles of trauma and negative cognitive style has received relatively little attention. In a sample of 77 children (M age = 12.13, SD = 1.71; 56% female), we conducted linear multiple regression analyses of youth’s overall trauma exposure and negative cognitive style (e.g., attributional style, negative inference for consequence, negative inference for self-concept scales) as predictors of youth’s post-traumatic stress symptoms, controlling for youth age and sex. The overall model including attributional style was significant, F (5,71) = 4.17, p = .002. There was a significant main effect of trauma, B = .99, p = .03, and the effect for attributional style approached significance, B = 1.13, p = .06. The overall model including negative inference for consequence was significant, F (5,71) = 3.94, p = .003, and there was a significant effect of trauma, B = .99, p = .03 only. The overall model including negative inference for self-concept was significant, F (5,71) = 6.65, p < .001. There were significant main effects for both trauma, B = 1.03, p = .01, and negative self-concept, B = 1.17, p = .001. There were no significant interactions across models. Findings indicate that exposure to childhood trauma and negative cognitive style independently contribute to symptoms of posttraumatic stress symptoms in youth. Negative cognitive attributional style and exposure to adversity may both represent risk factors for the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Cognitive appraisals and attributions should continue to be researched as potential mechanisms for the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as potential mediators of treatment effects.

Authors

• Rachel Siciliano, Vanderbilt University
  Presenting Author

• Kelly H Watson, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Meredith Gruhn, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lauren M Henry, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Allison Vreeland
  Non-Presenting Author

• Allegra S Anderson, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Abagail Ciriegio, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sofia M Torres, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jon S Ebert, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tarah M Kuhn, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bruce Edward Compas, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author