Citation

Espeleta HC, Taylor DL, Kraft JD, Grant DM. J. Am. Coll. Health 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2019.1706538

PMID

31944931

Abstract

Research attempting to identify pathways from childhood maltreatment to adulthood posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) implicates cognitive vulnerabilities that may increase risk for mental health concerns. The present study examined two cognitive vulnerabilities and their relation to PTSS amongst individuals with and without childhood maltreatment histories: attentional control and repetitive negative thinking (RNT). This research surveyed college students (N = 376) on constructs of interest.

RESULTS revealed that attentional control and RNT demonstrated significant indirect effects on PTSS (95% CI =.0003,.0336 and 95% CI =.0643,.1857, respectively).

FINDINGS suggest that childhood maltreatment severity was related to decreased attentional control and increased RNT, which were then both related to increased PTSS. Interventions for increasing attentional control and decreasing RNT should be implemented and evaluated for young adults with early adversity currently experiencing PTSS.

Language: en

Keywords

Attentional control; cognitive impairments; college students; early adversity; posttraumatic stress; repetitive negative thinking; trauma