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The Sequential Relation Between Changes in Catastrophizing and Changes in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Trauma Studies

Background:

  • Catastrophizing is theorized as a cognitive precursor to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development after stressful events.
  • Cognitive models of PTSD suggest that reducing catastrophizing during treatment should alleviate PTSD symptoms.
  • The direct relationship between changes in symptom catastrophizing and PTSD symptom severity remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the sequential relationship between changes in symptom catastrophizing and PTSD symptom severity.
  • To examine if reductions in symptom catastrophizing predict subsequent decreases in PTSD symptoms within a treatment context.

Main Methods:

  • A sample of 73 work-disabled individuals undergoing a 10-week behavioral activation intervention was studied.
  • Symptom catastrophizing and PTSD symptom severity were assessed at pre-, mid-, and post-treatment.
  • Cross-lagged panel analyses were employed to examine the temporal precedence between symptom catastrophizing and PTSD symptoms.

Main Results:

  • Pretreatment symptom catastrophizing significantly predicted PTSD symptom severity, even after controlling for pain and depression.
  • Both symptom catastrophizing and PTSD symptoms significantly decreased during the intervention, with large effect sizes.
  • Early reductions in symptom catastrophizing were found to predict later decreases in PTSD symptom severity.

Conclusions:

  • The findings support a causal role for symptom catastrophizing in the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms.
  • Targeting symptom catastrophizing in interventions may be a viable strategy for reducing PTSD symptom severity.
  • These results align with cognitive models positing catastrophizing as a key maintaining factor in PTSD.