Contact Us

What is JoVE Visualize?

The impact of trauma core dimensions on anxiety and depression: a latent regression model through the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ)

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education, and Applied Psychology, Section of Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy. a.rossi@unipd.it.
  • 2Center for Intervention and Research on Family studies – CIRF, Department FISPPA, University of Padova, Padua, Italy. a.rossi@unipd.it.
  • 3Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
  • 4Associazione EMDR Italia, Milan, Italy.
  • 5Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, ASST Lecco, Lecco, Italy.
  • 6Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
  • 7Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education, and Applied Psychology, Section of Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
  • 8Center for Intervention and Research on Family studies – CIRF, Department FISPPA, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.

|

October 3, 2024

Abstract

Adverse life events (e.g., severe accidents, violence/abuse, organic disorders) can elicit traumatic responses characterized by intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, and avoidance-highlighting the need for sound assessment tools. Also, these traumatic components could heighten anxiety and depression symptoms. This study aims included to: (1) assessing the psychometric properties of the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ) and delineating clinical cut-offs; (2) investigating how distinct trauma components contribute to anxiety and depression symptoms. Involving 761 participants who experienced a traumatic event, Part I tested the PTSQ psychometric properties, defining clinical cut-offs. Part II tested the impact of traumatic components on anxiety and depression symptoms, using a multiple multivariate latent regression model. PTSQ exhibited exemplary fit indices and robust psychometric properties. Clinically relevant cut-offs were identified. The differential contributions of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal to anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated, elucidating the strength and nature of these relationships. This study reaffirms the PTSQ as a psychometrically sound and reliable instrument. It underscores the effects of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal on anxiety and depression symptoms in individuals with traumatic experiences. These insights advocate for evidence-based interventions aimed at alleviating the psychological suffering associated with trauma components, fostering adaptation and supporting psychological health.

Keywords:

Related Concept Videos

JoVE Research Video for Anxiety: Overview 01:18

71

Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.<br…

JoVE Research Video for Long-term Depression 01:03

2.4K

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over…

JoVE Research Video for Depression: Overview 01:18

86

Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,…

JoVE Research Video for Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood 03:34

40.9K

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships. 

The Basis of Attachment Theory in Development

Building on the work of Harlow and others, John Bowlby developed the concept of attachment theory. He defined attachment as the affectional bond or tie that an infant forms with the mother (Bowlby,…

JoVE Research Video for Self-Report Tests of Personality 01:22

121

Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.<br…

JoVE Research Video for Components of Stress 01:23

138

Stress analysis under multiple loading conditions is intricate, necessitating a comprehensive grasp of normal and shearing stresses. Consider a small cube at point O, subjected to stress on all six faces, visible or not. Normal stress components σx, σy, σz act perpendicularly to the x, y, and z axes. Shearing stress components τxy and τxz are exerted on faces perpendicular to these axes.
Interestingly, the hidden cube faces also experience these stresses, equal and…