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Childhood trauma and the role of self-blame on psychological well-being after deployment in male veterans.

ABSTRACT: Background: Childhood trauma and combat-related trauma are both associated with decreased psychosocial functioning. Coping strategies play an important role in the adjustment to traumatic events. Objective: The present study examined childhood trauma and the mediating role of coping strategies in adult psychological symptoms in a non-clinical military population after deployment to Afghanistan. Additionally, the moderating role of coping strategies in vulnerability to combat events was explored. Method: Participants (N = 932) were drawn from a prospective study assessing psychological complaints (SCL-90), early trauma (ETISR-SF), combat-related events and coping strategies (Brief COPE). Mediation analyses via joint significance testing and moderation analyses were performed. Results: Childhood trauma is related to adult symptoms of general anxiety, depression and problems concerning interpersonal sensitivity through the mediation of self-blame as a coping strategy. Some evidence was found that self-blame moderated vulnerability to combat-related events resulting in psychological complaints, specifically symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Military personnel should be made aware of self-criticizing maladaptive belief systems when dealing with aversive events. Negative beliefs about oneself and distorted trauma-related cognitions may have a basis in childhood events. Self-blame cognitions may be a potential mechanism of change in empirically supported trauma interventions such as cognitive processing therapy.

SUBMITTER: Dorresteijn S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6338281 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Childhood trauma and the role of self-blame on psychological well-being after deployment in male veterans.

Dorresteijn Sasja S Gladwin Thomas Edward TE Eekhout Iris I Vermetten Eric E Geuze Elbert E

European journal of psychotraumatology 20190114 1

<b>Background</b>: Childhood trauma and combat-related trauma are both associated with decreased psychosocial functioning. Coping strategies play an important role in the adjustment to traumatic events. <b>Objective</b>: The present study examined childhood trauma and the mediating role of coping strategies in adult psychological symptoms in a non-clinical military population after deployment to Afghanistan. Additionally, the moderating role of coping strategies in vulnerability to combat events ...[more]

PMID: 30693075

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Project description:BackgroundWomen veterans experience higher levels of stress-related symptoms than their civilian counterparts. Psychological stress is associated with greater inflammation and may increase risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to improve psychological well-being in other populations but no randomized controlled trials (RCT) have been conducted examining the impact of MBSR on well-being and inflammation in women veterans at risk for CVD.ObjectiveDetermine the effectiveness of MBSR in improving psychological well-being, cortisol, and inflammation associated with CVD in women veterans.DesignThe design is a RCT comparing MBSR to an active control condition (ACC) consisting of a health education program.ParticipantsWomen veterans (N=164) with risk factors for CVD from the Chicagoland area participated in the study.InterventionAn 8-week MBSR program with weekly 2.5-h classes was compared to an ACC consisting of an 8-week health promotion education program with weekly 2.5-h classes.Main measuresThe outcomes were psychological well-being [perceived stress, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)] symptoms and stress-related markers, including diurnal salivary cortisol and cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Data were collected at baseline, 4 weeks (mid-point of intervention), 8 weeks (completion of intervention), and 6 months after completion of MBSR or ACC.Key resultsCompared to the ACC, women who participated in MBSR reported less perceived stress, loneliness, and symptoms of PTSD. Although there were no significant differences between groups or changes over time in IL-6 or IFN-γ, participants in the MBSR program demonstrated a more rapid decline in diurnal salivary cortisol as compared to those in the ACC.ConclusionsMBSR was found to improve psychological well-being and decrease diurnal salivary cortisol in women veterans at risk for CVD. Health care providers may consider MBSR for women veterans as a means by which to improve their psychological well-being.

Dataset Information

Childhood trauma and the role of self-blame on psychological well-being after deployment in male veterans.

Publications

Childhood trauma and the role of self-blame on psychological well-being after deployment in male veterans.

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