Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy
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Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is commonly observed in trauma survivors. Information on PTG and its predictors among burn survivors is relatively limited. The present study sought to investigate the prevalence and predictors of PTG in burn survivors. The predictors of interest included the variables from Tedeschi and Calhoun's model of PTG (core belief challenge, deliberate rumination, trauma disclosure, and perceived social support) and positive personality attributes (resilience, grateful disposition, and dispositional forgiveness). ⋯ These findings highlight the applicability of psychological theories of PTG to trauma-related growth of burn survivors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Comorbidity is the rule and not the exception among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Examining comorbidities in a veteran population allows us to better understand veterans' symptoms and recognize when mental health treatment may need to be tailored to other co-occurring issues. This article evaluates comorbid mood and anxiety disorders and PTSD symptom severity in a large sample of veterans from multiple eras of service, including the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. ⋯ These results suggest that among veterans seeking treatment for PTSD, comorbid mood and anxiety disorders may be associated with greater severity of PTSD symptoms. Future work is needed to determine the impact of specific comorbidities on trauma-focused treatment outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience difficulties with social reintegration after deployment. Experiential avoidance, the tendency to avoid unwanted thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations (including in response to interactions with others) may be a key factor that explains the association between PTSD symptoms and postdeployment social support. The present study evaluated whether experiential avoidance mediates the association between PTSD symptoms and perceptions of postdeployment social support. ⋯ Experiential avoidance may be an important target for treatment to improve long-term functional recovery and reintegration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Previous findings have demonstrated that torture survivors exhibit chronic pain and alterations in pain perception. However, not much is known regarding the characteristics of the torture experience and its contribution to these long-term ramifications. The current study examined the unique role of objective severity and subjective suffering in torture in predicting chronic pain and acute pain perception and pain modulation. ⋯ The findings demonstrate that the experience of chronic and acute pain is rooted in the subjective perception of traumatic experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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This study aimed to explore children's experiences and memories of the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and identify the relative importance of premorbid, trauma, and cognitive/affective variables associated with acute posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Participants were 95 children aged 6-16 years admitted to the PICU and their parents. Children completed questionnaires and an interview assessing PTSS, peritrauma affect, and their memory of the admission 3 weeks following discharge. ⋯ Child age did not moderate the effect of cognitive/affective variables on PTSS. This study demonstrates that objective indicators of disease severity do not adequately explain the high prevalence of PTSS in children following PICU admission. It also suggests that subjective, cognitive factors such as the way children process and remember a PICU admission are very important in the onset of PTSS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).