Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
Published on: March 8, 2018
Understanding internalizing and externalizing symptoms in trauma exposed community members
Faith O Nomamiukor1, Rachel E Suresky1, Casey L May1
1Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Objective:
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with internalizing and externalizing symptoms, but few studies have examined risk factors that can account for these comorbidities. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the role of blame attribution (i.e., self-blame and other blame) and impulsivity dimensions (i.e., negative and positive urgency) in predicting internalizing (i.e., social anxiety, depression, and worry) and externalizing symptoms (i.e., aggression, risky thrill-seeking, risky substance use, and sexual risk-taking) when statistically controlling for PTSD.
Method:
Participants were 63 trauma-exposed community members (47.6% diagnosed with PTSD; Mage = 27.17, 84.1% female) interviewed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale-5. We hypothesized that self- and other blame would predict internalizing symptoms and that self-blame, negative urgency, and positive urgency would predict externalizing symptoms after controlling for PTSD.
Results:
Findings showed that self-blame was associated with all three internalizing symptoms and risky sex and that negative urgency predicted risky aggression.
Conclusion:
This study provides evidence that self-blame is an important risk factor for a broad range of internalizing symptoms and for at least one type of externalizing symptom and that the effects of self-blame are not fully explained by PTSD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
More Related Videos
11:31Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
Published on: November 30, 2015
10:43Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity
Published on: July 1, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Traumatic Memory
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
Group Therapy
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia