Trauma-Related Disgust in Veterans With Interpersonal Trauma

Although traditionally conceptualized as an anxiety disorder, variability in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be explained by individual differences in peri- or posttraumatic disgust. We examined relationships between disgust reactions and other trauma-related symptoms in 100 veterans with a history of interpersonal trauma and gender differences in these variables. We also evaluated the mediating role of posttraumatic disgust and guilt in the relationship between peritraumatic disgust and PTSD symptoms. Participants completed cross-sectional self-report questionnaires of trauma-related emotions, PTSD, and other psychological symptoms as part of clinical intake procedures. Women and men did not differ on trauma-related emotions or symptoms. However, the relationship between peri- and posttraumatic disgust depended on gender, with men reporting a stronger association between peri- and posttraumatic disgust than women (p = .013, ΔR² = .04). Posttraumatic disgust and guilt mediated the relationship between peritraumatic disgust and PTSD symptoms, controlling for gender (a₁ a₂ b₁ = 0.18, SE = 0.09, P_M = .19). Our results converge with those found in other studies suggesting that disgust is a common trauma-related emotion and that men and women may experience differential relationships between peri- and posttraumatic emotional experiences. Further study of the role of trauma-related emotional responses in PTSD etiology and treatment is warranted.