Measuring Experiential Avoidance and Posttraumatic Stress in Families

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Experiential avoidance (EA) is recognized as a key emotion regulation strategy linked to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• EA may be learned and explains diverse problem behaviors.
• Understanding the transmission of emotion regulation is crucial for developmental psychopathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine parent EA as a predictor of offspring EA, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and problem behaviors.
• To identify the best predictors of these outcomes for both parents and offspring.
• To evaluate the predictive utility of two EA measures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two measures of experiential avoidance: the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) and the Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (MEAQ).
• Assessed parent and offspring EA, PTSS, and problem behaviors in a university sample.
• Employed regression analyses to test predictive relationships, controlling for trauma history.

Main Results:

• The AAQ-II was the sole significant predictor of PTSS and problem behaviors for both parents and offspring, independent of trauma history.
• The MEAQ did not yield significant predictive results.
• Parental EA predicted offspring EA, PTSS, and problem behaviors.

Conclusions:

• The AAQ-II demonstrates strong predictive validity for identifying individuals at risk for PTSS and problem behaviors.
• Measurement discrepancies between EA scales may influence findings.
• EA transmission and its role in harmful behavior trajectories warrant further investigation.