Disgust Propensity as a Predictor of Intrusive Cognitions Following a Distressing Film

Although extant research examining predictors of development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have focused primarily on fear and anxiety, recent research suggests that a range of different emotional reactions may occur in response to traumatic events. For example, specific aspects of traumatic exposure frequently include either experiencing or witnessing events that may elicit disgust, including injury, death, or sexual assault (e.g., Dalgleish and Power in Behav Res Ther Spec Issue Festschrift Spec Issue John Teasdale 42(9):1069-1088, 2004); McNally in J Anxiety Disord 16(5):561-566, 2002). However, no published research has specifically examined the role of disgust propensity in the development and maintenance of PTSD. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between disgust propensity and intrusive symptoms. To this end, 30 undergraduates without symptoms of PTSD were recruited to participate in a distressing film paradigm (for a review of this paradigm see Holmes and Bourne in Acta Psychol 127(3):553-566, 2008). Anxiety, depression, and trait disgust scores were entered hierarchically into a regression equation to predict the number of intrusions during a post-film thought monitoring period. Results indicated that disgust propensity predicted intrusions independent of anxiety and depression. Although still preliminary, results suggest that disgust propensity may be one factor that predicts frequency of intrusive memories after witnessing injury or bodily harm.