Citation

Reich CM, Blackwell N, Simmons CA, Beck JG. J. Anxiety Disord. 2015; 32: 31-37.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA. Electronic address: jgbeck@memphis.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.02.007

PMID

25840140

Abstract

Social factors are often associated with the development or maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of interpersonal traumas. However, social problem solving strategies have received little attention. The current study explored the role of social problem solving styles (i.e., rational approaches, impulsive/careless strategies, or avoidance strategies) as intermediary variables between abuse exposure and PTSD severity among intimate partner violence survivors. Avoidance problem solving served as an intermediating variable for the relationship between three types of abuse and PTSD severity. Rational and impulsive/careless strategies were not associated with abuse exposure. These findings extend the current understanding of social problem solving among interpersonal trauma survivors and are consistent with more general avoidance coping research. Future research might examine whether avoidance problem solving tends to evolve in the aftermath of trauma or whether it represents a longstanding risk factor for PTSD development.

Language: en