Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
8-29-2020
Year of Publication
2020
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Christal L. Badour
Abstract
Mental contamination (MC) – an internal sense of dirtiness experienced without contact with a contaminant – has been linked to PTSD symptoms among sexual trauma survivors. However, existing work has been limited to cross-sectional or quasi-experimental designs – precluding conclusions concerning the directionality of associations among PTSD symptoms and MC – and little work has examined potential mediators of those associations. The present study utilized a prospective design to evaluate the directionality of associations between MC and PTSD symptoms and the role of avoidance and approach coping in mediating those associations. Participants included 41 women with a history of sexual trauma and current MC. Women completed baseline measures followed by fourteen days of twice-daily assessments via a mobile application. Results indicated that avoidance coping mediated the associations between baseline MC and average daily PTSD symptoms (β = 0.30, SE = 0.14, 95% CI [0.06 , 0.58]) and baseline PTSD symptoms and average daily MC (β = 0.33, SE = 0.16, 95% CI [0.08 , 0.67]). Our findings support a mutual maintenance model of PTSD symptoms and MC mediated by avoidance coping. However, additional research conducted over a more extended period is warranted to better understand how MC and PTSD symptoms mutually influence one another.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2020.401
Recommended Citation
Tipsword, Jordyn M., "MENTAL CONTAMINATION, COPING, AND PTSD SYMPTOM SEVERITY FOLLOWING SEXUAL TRAUMA" (2020). Theses and Dissertations--Psychology. 181.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_etds/181
