Emotion regulation patterns in posttraumatic stress disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
“Psychosocial correlates of posttraumatic symptom severity in relation to distressing life events” (working title)
IRAS ID
147564
Contact name
Erifili Efthymiadou
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Does the experience of trauma or common-life stressors equally predict emotion regulation difficulties in people that report PTSD symptoms of clinical concern?
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cannot be diagnosed unless an individual has previously experienced an event that meets diagnostic criteria for “trauma”. Although there is increasing evidence that common-life events/stressors not meeting criteria for trauma predict the development and severity of PTSD, no study has explored which factors determine symptom severity in this population. Emotion regulation (ER) skills, or the ability to modify emotional experience and expression in the service of individual goals, have been recognized as a major reason why only some people who experience trauma develop PTSD. The current fixed-design cross-sectional project aims to explore whether people who develop posttraumatic symptoms of clinical concern following common-life stressors experience similar ER difficulties to people who develop PTSD following trauma and might, therefore, be equally vulnerable in the face of relatively minor stressors. Findings could improve our understanding of PTSD development in different populations and favour revision of trauma definitions to acknowledge common-life stressors as potentially traumatic. As a result, more individuals would receive appropriate diagnostic and treatment services. A secondary aim of this project is to address previous methodological limitations in studying the relationship between ER and PTSD. To that end, factors that have been suggested, through theory and/or empirical evidence, to impact on this relationship will be also taken into account in data analysis. These factors include life-history of abuse and neglect, quality of attachment, emotional profile, perceived social support and the impact of the stressor on individual identity. Participants will be recruited from an adult NHS trauma-specialist site in Edinburgh. Eligible participants should demonstrate capacity for consent. The data collection will last one year and participation involves completion of six short self-report questionnaires at home.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
14/SS/1065
Date of REC Opinion
5 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion