The role of protective self‐cognitions in the relationship between childhood trauma and later resource loss

Summary & key facts

Researchers followed about 400 inner-city women who had experienced childhood abuse. They measured symptoms of posttraumatic stress, how the women viewed themselves (self-esteem and belief in their own ability), and whether they later lost personal resources like money, health, or social support. The study found links showing that childhood abuse was tied to higher posttraumatic stress symptoms; those symptoms were tied to weaker self-beliefs; and stronger self-beliefs were tied to less later resource loss. The authors also tested the opposite direction — that losing resources might lead to more posttraumatic stress — and say the results point to a complex mix of risk and resilience after childhood trauma.

Key facts:

• About 400 inner-city women who had experienced childhood abuse took part in the study.
• Researchers measured three things: posttraumatic stress symptoms, protective self-beliefs (self-esteem and belief in one’s ability to handle things), and later loss of resources such as money, health, or social support.
• Women who reported childhood abuse tended to have more posttraumatic stress symptoms later on.
• Higher posttraumatic stress symptoms were linked to weaker protective self-beliefs.
• Stronger protective self-beliefs were linked to less loss of resources later.
• The team also checked whether losing resources could lead to more posttraumatic stress, showing the relationships can go both ways and are not simple cause-and-effect.

Abstract

The authors examined a prospective model investigating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and protective self-cognitions (self-esteem and self-efficacy) with later resource loss among 402 inner-city women who experienced childhood abuse. They predicted that women with PTSD may fail to develop or sustain protective self-cognitions that could protect against future stress. Results from the hypothesized model suggest that child abuse was associated with greater PTSD symptoms and later resource loss. PTSD symptoms were also related to protective self-cognitions, which, in turn, were associated with less resource loss. The authors also examined an alternative model exploring the relationship between resource loss and later PTSD symptoms. Findings allude to the relationship of risk and resiliency variables among women with childhood trauma histories.

Topics

Child Abuse and Trauma Migration, Health and Trauma Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Child abuse Childhood abuse Clinical psychology Cognition Developmental psychology Human factors and ergonomics Injury prevention Medical emergency Medicine Poison control Posttraumatic stress Psychiatry Psychology Self-esteem

Conditions & symptoms

PTSD