OBJECTIVE:Individuals displaced due to war face many potentially traumatic experiences (PTE). Trauma-related guilt mediates the relationship between PTE and functionally impairing posttraumatic distress, though its presence and role in mental health outcomes has not been studied in Ukrainians currently displaced due to the 2022 Russian invasion. The present study sought to examine the presence and role of PTE and trauma-related guilt in mental health outcomes in Ukrainians currently displaced due to the 2022 Russian invasion. METHOD:We assessed this relationship using cross-sectional statistical mediation analysis in a sample of 175 Ukrainian (73.1% female) evacuees in the United States. RESULTS:A multiple regression of trauma-related guilt inventory cognition subscales predicting posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and somatic symptom severity revealed hindsight bias and wrongdoing to be significant independent predictors but not lack of justification. The total indirect effects of PTE on posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and somatic symptoms through hindsight bias and wrongdoing as mediators were significant and suggested that both may independently partially mediate the relationship. CONCLUSIONS:Results align with research in other populations, suggesting that trauma-related guilt, especially in the form of beliefs of wrongdoing and hindsight bias in this case, may be an important treatment target in Ukrainian evacuees in the United States and that it should be studied in other war-displaced populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Continuous traumatic stress response (CTSR), characterized by exhaustion, anger, and fear or helplessness, emerges from ongoing exposure to traumatic stressors, yet little research explores its risk and protective factors, specifically its relationship with coping strategies. METHOD:This three-wave longitudinal study examined changes in coping and CTSR as war-related stressors evolved between chronic (Wave 2, March-June 2024) and acute (June 2025) stages. Cross-lagged panel models were used to assess contemporaneous associations between CTSR and coping styles and their time-dependent changes. RESULTS:Participants (N = 522 at Wave 1, N = 244 at Wave 2, N = 287 at Wave 3) primarily experienced secondary exposure to war stressors, with all exposed to missile attack sirens. Cross-lagged panel models demonstrated that distress exerted a stronger temporal influence on coping than the reverse: Higher CTSR at Waves 1 and 2 consistently predicted subsequent decreases in forward-focused, trauma-focused, and flexible coping over time, while coping strategies showed limited capacity to predict later CTSR. Additionally, at Wave 3 (acute), preceding trauma-focused coping predicted lower peritraumatic dissociation, whereas preceding forward-focused coping predicted higher peritraumatic dissociation. CONCLUSIONS:These findings suggest that coping capacity under chronic threat is not a fixed asset but a dynamic resource vulnerable to erosion. This has implications for public health and individual support in ongoing conflict particularly the need to mitigate ongoing distress to protect depletable coping resources and preserve emotional presence during acute escalations. These results underscore the dynamic nature of coping in chronic trauma contexts, highlighting the need for tailored interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:The question which types of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) are specifically associated with posttraumatic stress (PTS), and how to weigh the emotional impact of exposure to multiple PTE types, remains a subject of debate. Our key objective was to examine, in a single large sample, the extent to which exposure to a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision Criterion A event, different ways of counting exposure to multiple PTE types, and latent classes of PTE-exposure patterns are associated with PTS. METHOD:Measures of exposure to PTE types, PTS, depression, and anxiety were completed by 1,405 university students (Mage = 21.7 years; 20.1% male, 79.1% female, 0.8% other). RESULTS:Findings showed that (a) participants whose most impactful event was a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders congruent Criterion A event reported highest PTS levels; (b) the number of directly experienced PTE types was more strongly associated with PTS than the total number of PTE types irrespective of proximity; (c) a high and a low PTE-exposure class emerged, along with two moderate PTE-exposure classes distinguished by the presence/absence of sexual trauma, with classes evidencing moderate PTE exposure plus sexual trauma and high PTE exposure reporting highest PTS; and (d) the number of directly experienced PTEs was most strongly associated with PTS, depression, and anxiety. CONCLUSION:Clinically relevant PTS remains tied to a single worst event. Our findings suggest that in predicting PTS in clinical and research settings, the number of directly experienced PTEs and patterns of exposure to PTE types may offer greater predictive value. Generalization of our study findings should be done with caution given the reliance on a student sample. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) is increasingly recognized as a significant source of psychological and physiological harm among students in higher education; however, disability accommodation systems rarely address trauma rooted in racism. This article proposes a provisional, proposition-generating conceptual framework specifying conditions under which RBTS may be associated with disability-level functional impairment within higher education. METHOD:Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship in trauma science, disability studies, and higher education policy, as well as a narrative account of lived experience as an illustrative feature, this conceptual analysis integrates existing theory to clarify how RBTS may disrupt functioning, which factors may exacerbate or mitigate such disruption, and when those effects may reach disability-level impairment. To align with disability services frameworks, the model distinguishes between transient distress and persistent impairment and situates disability relevance within interacting social, environmental, and institutional contexts rather than solely in an individual-centered framework. RESULTS:The proposed model delineates pathways through which RBTS-related trauma processes may disrupt executive functioning, emotional regulation, and attention-key capacities for academic participation. Progression to substantial academic limitation is theorized to occur only when symptoms are clinically significant and persistent and meaningfully restrict academic functioning and when institutional recognition and support processes are insufficient to mitigate functional disruption. The model specifies testable propositions regarding boundary conditions, disclosure and documentation pathways, accommodation access, institutional recognition and response, and divergent educational outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:RBTS is not inherently disabling; rather, under conditions of sustained severity and demonstrable functional impairment, its effects may meet criteria consistent with disability frameworks in higher education. By specifying a conditional and empirically testable conceptual model, this article delineates how trauma-related impairment may, under defined circumstances, intersect with institutional accessibility frameworks and inform ethically grounded future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor mental health outcomes, including depression in later life. Subjective life expectancy (SLE) may mediate the relationship between ACEs and depression. However, the longitudinal relationship between ACEs, SLE, and depression remains underexplored. METHOD:We used five waves of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and employed a parallel process latent growth curve model to examine the longitudinal relationships among ACEs, SLE, and depression. RESULTS:The model demonstrated good fit (root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.039, comparative fit index = 0.956, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.935, standardized root-mean-square residual = 0.023). ACEs negatively predicted the SLE intercept (β = -0.133, p < .001) and positively predicted the depression intercept (β = 0.258, p < .001). The SLE intercept was negatively associated with the depression intercept (β = -0.873, p < .001), and a lower SLE intercept predicted a faster increase in depressive symptoms over time. Mediation analyses confirmed that the SLE intercept significantly mediated the effects of ACEs on both the initial level and the longitudinal trajectory of depression. CONCLUSIONS:SLE plays a key mediating role between ACEs and depression, suggesting that interventions aimed at improving SLE may reduce the long-term psychological burden of ACEs on mental health in later life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:The military family stress model (Gewirtz et al., 2018) was used to examine the associations between deployment experiences, interpersonal relationships, and four aspects of parental burnout-emotional exhaustion, contrast in parental self, fed-up feelings, and emotional distancing from the child-among military fathers. The study focused on testing main and moderating effects for these variables. METHOD:A total of 105 Israeli military fathers deployed to combat zones completed self-report questionnaires on deployment exposure, emotion regulation, unit and spousal support, and parental burnout. Hierarchical regressions examined both direct and moderating effects for each burnout dimension. RESULTS:Emotional suppression was positively associated with emotional exhaustion, contrast with previous parental self, and emotional distancing. Importantly, higher unit support predicted lower emotional exhaustion and emotional distancing, but these protective effects were significant only at low and moderate war-related exposure levels, not at high exposure. Marital satisfaction was associated with lower contrast with previous parental self and fed-up feelings, with cognitive reappraisal moderating these associations; when reappraisal was low to moderate, marital satisfaction was protective. No significant main effects were found for the length or frequency of deployment exposure. CONCLUSIONS:Findings highlight context-dependent roles of unit cohesion and spousal support in mitigating parental burnout. To bolster family resilience, military units should implement psychoeducational programs focused on flexible emotion regulation and unit cohesion, while clinicians should prioritize couple-focused interventions enhancing meaning-making and emotional attunement. These targeted efforts by military leadership and mental health professionals are essential to support fathers' well-being across varying levels of combat exposure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:This study examines the psychological, sensory, and temporal dimensions of nighttime trauma among displaced Palestinian women following exposure to bombing during the ongoing mass violence in Gaza. It aims to reconceptualize sleep disturbance not as an isolated symptom but as an embodied manifestation of trauma under persistent threat. METHOD:A qualitative design was employed using semistructured interviews with 40 Palestinian refugee women aged 23-59 years residing in internally displaced persons' camps in Rafah. Interviews were conducted under conditions of ongoing insecurity. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Arabic, and analyzed using thematic content analysis with a data-driven, bottom-up approach. RESULTS:Six interconnected themes emerged: (a) collapse of rest following the first bombing; (b) embodied trauma-related nightmares, flashbacks, and sensory haunting; (c) erosion of the sleep-wake boundary; (d) nocturnal environments as sensory architectures of fear; (e) hypervigilance driven by auditory memory and bodily anticipation of violence; and (f) temporal distortion, prolonged nights, and a desire for release from unremitting psychological strain. Nighttime was experienced as an extension of the traumatic event itself, wherein darkness, silence, and sound reactivated embodied memories of entrapment, suffocation, and imminent death. CONCLUSIONS:Findings indicate that postbombing insomnia and trauma-related nightmares and nocturnal terror experiences among displaced women in Gaza are not discrete sleep disorders but expressions of deeply embodied trauma shaped by displacement, structural violence, and ongoing threat. Trauma theory and practice must move beyond event-based and depoliticized models to address the sensory, temporal, and bodily dimensions of survival in contexts of continuous violence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to identify distinct psychosocial adaptation profiles among adults from Ofakim, a southern Israeli city directly and severely affected by the October 7 attacks, based on trauma exposure, trauma history, and selected risk and protective factors. METHOD:A sample of 722 participants completed measures assessing exposure to the October 7 attacks, trauma history, posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms, self-rated health, perceived social support, posttraumatic growth, and volunteering-related variables. Latent profile analysis identified subgroups defined by these variables. Sociodemographic characteristics and volunteering-related variables were compared across profiles using three-step procedures that account for uncertainty in latent profile classification. RESULTS:Four profiles emerged: "normative responses," "resilient," "distressed," and "trauma history." Profiles differed significantly by gender, age, education, residence in conflict-affected neighborhoods, length of residence, and volunteering-related variables. The "resilient" profile demonstrated low distress, higher protective factors, and the highest willingness to volunteer after October 7, whereas the "distressed" profile exhibited high distress, lower protective factors, and the lowest willingness to volunteer. In adjusted manual three-step models, the overall profile difference in willingness to volunteer was attenuated to trend level, but the distressed profile remained significantly lower than the resilient profile. CONCLUSIONS:Identifying psychosocial adaptation profiles can inform targeted interventions following mass trauma. Willingness to volunteer after the attacks should be interpreted cautiously as a correlate of current prosocial motivation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:War-related injuries following the October 7, 2023, attacks and the subsequent Iron Swords War have been associated with substantial psychological distress, often requiring pharmacological support during rehabilitation. This study examined associations between demographic variables, injury characteristics, serum biomarkers, psychotropic medication use, and rehabilitation duration during inpatient postinjury rehabilitation. METHOD:This retrospective study included 346 patients admitted to rehabilitation at Sheba Medical Center after injuries sustained during the Iron Swords War. Data were extracted from electronic medical records. Analyses included univariate tests, multivariable logistic regression models for psychotropic medication use, and multivariable linear regression for rehabilitation duration. RESULTS:Overall, 57% of patients received psychotropic medication: 47% hypnotics, 36% antidepressants, and 18% antipsychotics. Hypnotic use was associated with Intensive Care Unit admission, neurological injury, and hearing impairment. Antidepressant use was associated with Intensive Care Unit admission and neurological injury. Antipsychotic use was associated with hearing impairment and older age. Any psychotropic medication use was associated with Intensive Care Unit admission and neurological injury and was inversely associated with functional mobility at admission. Longer rehabilitation duration was independently associated with lower hemoglobin, neurological injury, and reduced mobility at admission. CONCLUSIONS:Psychotropic medication use was associated mainly with injury-related and functional variables, whereas rehabilitation duration was associated with lower hemoglobin, neurological injury, and reduced mobility. Early assessment of these factors may help identify patients at increased clinical need during rehabilitation and support timely multidisciplinary intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Racial trauma, stemming from individual and systemic experiences of racism, has increasingly been recognized as a source of significant psychological and functional harm (Carter, 2007; Mosley et al., 2021). This article examines two frameworks for conceptualizing racial trauma: the diagnostic framework, which emphasizes cumulative trauma and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5-consistent symptomatology, and the psychological injury framework, which focuses on proximal functional impairment and positions harm as an external consequence of race-based discrimination. METHOD:We review how these frameworks inform clinical treatment, including symptom assessment and therapeutic interventions, and forensic evaluation, including legal redress and mitigation in civil and criminal contexts. RESULTS:The article highlights points of convergence and divergence between the frameworks, illustrating how each can be applied to different pathways for intervention, treatment, and advocacy. CONCLUSIONS:Considering both clinical and forensic perspectives provides insight into racial trauma, supports culturally informed practice, and guides mental health and legal professionals in addressing its impacts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:This study examined the relationship between objective exposure to terror during the October 7 attacks and subsequent war and posttraumatic growth (PTG), focusing on the mediating roles of subjective traumatic outlook (STO) and resilience among evacuated Israeli civilians. METHOD:A total of 185 Israeli participants (88% female; Mage = 44.88, SD = 6.06) evacuated from high-threat areas completed measures assessing objective exposure to terror events, STO, resilience, and PTG. Parallel mediation models tested whether STO and resilience mediated the association between objective exposure and PTG, controlling for relevant sociodemographic variables. RESULTS:The mediation analysis revealed a distinct pathway to growth. Objective exposure to terror was not directly associated with PTG, nor was its effect mediated by resilience. Instead, the relationship was mediated exclusively by STO: Higher objective exposure predicted greater STO (β = .34, p < .001), which in turn strongly predicted PTG (β = .37, p < .001). Resilience resources, while present, did not contribute significantly to the growth process in this model. CONCLUSIONS:These findings indicate that, during ongoing conflict, PTG is driven primarily by the subjective shattering of one's worldview (STO), rather than by objective terror exposure or resilience resources. The lack of association with resilience suggests that high external resources may preserve stability rather than trigger the deep cognitive restructuring required for growth. Clinical interventions should therefore prioritize the cognitive processing of the individual's shattered worldview, rather than focusing exclusively on strengthening resilience resources. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are common in primary care (PC) patients but often go untreated, as PC-based PTSD interventions are not widely available, and many patients do not engage in PTSD treatment in specialty settings. Expanding implementation of evidence-based PTSD treatment in PC can increase treatment access. We conducted a program evaluation of a 1-year pilot implementation program of a PC-based PTSD treatment that combines clinician support with a mobile app. METHOD:Thirty mental health clinicians embedded in PC from clinics across the Veterans Health Administration were trained in Clinician-Supported (CS) PTSD Coach and then participated in community of practice calls. RE-AIM outcomes of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance were assessed via electronic medical record notes and provider surveys. Implementation barriers, enablers, and adaptations were systematically tracked during implementation activities. RESULTS:Reach: A total of 871 CS PTSD Coach sessions were delivered to 348 patients. EFFECTIVENESS:Patients demonstrated improvement in PTSD severity (d = -0.37, p < .001). Adoption: Twenty-seven clinicians (90%) from 16 of 18 Veterans Health Administration geographic regions delivered CS PTSD Coach sessions. IMPLEMENTATION:Regarding intervention fidelity, 77%-87% of the essential elements were delivered. Maintenance: Twenty clinicians (71%) continued using CS PTSD Coach after active implementation support. CONCLUSIONS:The training and implementation support program resulted in strong uptake of CS PTSD Coach, with adherent and effective delivery. The program structure and identified solutions to implementation challenges can inform future large-scale efforts to implement interventions that incorporate mobile apps to help address the needs of trauma survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Moral injury and lack of social connectedness are negatively associated with psychological well-being for those who have transitioned from military to civilian roles. However, the way in which the experiences of moral injury shape veterans' social connectedness and psychological well-being is less well understood. The present study explores the nature of the relationships between aspects of moral injury, social connectedness, and psychological well-being. METHOD:Australian Defence Force veterans (N = 240; Mage = 50.86, SDage = 12.77; 86.5% male) participated in an online survey, providing data on their experiences of moral injury events, expressions of moral injury symptoms, sense of social connectedness, and psychological well-being. Path analyses were used to test interrelationships between these constructs. RESULTS:Analyses revealed that both transgressions related to self and others were positively related to self-directed and other-directed moral injury symptoms, respectively. In turn, other-directed and self-directed moral injury symptoms were negatively associated with psychological well-being via social connectedness, with self-directed moral injury symptoms maintaining a negative association with psychological well-being. Additional testing found the path model remained constant when comparing the model fit between those who reported being deployed in combat roles and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS:The study underscores the significance of social connectedness in relation to veteran psychological well-being, emphasizing the importance of using an integrative support system that can holistically address both the internal moral quandaries and the external challenges of social reintegration in the ex-serving veteran context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Professionals working with child sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), are at risk for adverse mental health outcomes due to repeated exposure to distressing experiences. Previous research on trauma-exposed professionals working with CSAM has focused on forensic examiners and law enforcement personnel, overlooking other Children's Advocacy Center multidisciplinary team (MDT) members who engage in CSAM-related work. Guided by compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress frameworks, this study examined heterogeneity in occupational functioning among MDT professionals working with CSAM-related cases. METHOD:This study applied latent profile analysis to examine mental health and support patterns in a sample of 357 MDT members affiliated with Children's Advocacy Centers in the United States. Profiles were based on symptoms (e.g., depression, burnout), work-related attitudes, support seeking, and agency support. Occupational and agency-level factors were compared across profiles. RESULTS:A four-profile solution emerged: (1) isolated burnout (9.2%), (2) unsupported burnout (21.9%), (3) ambivalent (51.0%), and (4) empowered and supported (17.9%). Profiles differed across levels of psychological distress, burnout, organizational support, autonomy, and work-related functioning. The isolated burnout profile demonstrated the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and burnout, whereas the empowered and supported profile demonstrated the lowest distress and greatest organizational support. CONCLUSIONS:Findings highlight heterogeneity in trauma-related occupational functioning among MDT members, with the majority reporting good mental health and feelings toward their work. The findings suggest that MDT professionals exposed to CSAM-related work do not experience uniform psychological outcomes and that organizational support, autonomy, and positive professional engagement may co-occur with more adaptive functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:While extensive research has documented the negative psychological consequences of military service, less is known about the factors that support posttraumatic growth (PTG) among reserve combatants during active war. This study examined the relative contribution of combat exposure, psychological distress (posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms), and psychological resources (self-compassion, psychological flexibility, unit support, sense of purpose, hope, meaning prioritizing, and nature-self connection) to PTG among Israeli reserve combatants during the "Iron Swords" War. METHOD:A cross-sectional study was conducted with Israeli reserve combatants, who actively participated in the war and completed online self-report measures. RESULTS:At the item level, 56.5% of responses reflected positive change, though primarily of low-to-moderate magnitude. Combat exposure and psychological distress variables were not significantly associated with PTG in the final model. By contrast, psychological resources accounted for a substantial proportion of variance, beyond demographic factors, exposure, and distress (R² = 23.9%). Specifically, hope, meaning prioritizing, unit support, and nature-self connection were significantly associated with higher PTG. CONCLUSIONS:These findings highlight the central role of psychological resources-particularly those related to meaning, interpersonal connection, and environmental engagement-in shaping PTG among reserve combatants during active war. PTG appears to be less strongly associated with exposure severity or psychological distress and more by the availability of adaptive strengths. Strength-based interventions targeting hope, meaning making, and social connectedness may enhance positive adaptation following military trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Accumulation of multiple trauma exposure has been linked to sensitization toward developing posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, it remains unknown whether the frequency of critical incidents in the past continues to affect ambulance personnel over time. This study investigates whether the frequency of exposure to critical incidents in the past year is associated with higher PTSS levels at baseline, whether this effect persists at 12-month follow-up, and whether the emotional intensity of the most severe incident moderates the association. METHOD:A longitudinal survey study was conducted with 451 ambulance workers. Linear mixed models were utilized to analyze the associations between exposure to critical incidents in the past year and PTSS levels at baseline and at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up. RESULTS:There was a positive association between frequency of critical incidents and PTSS levels, showing a dose-response pattern. PTSS declined across all groups over time, though less markedly among those with high exposure. An interaction between frequency and emotional intensity was found; the association between frequency and PTSS persisted only in those reporting high emotional intensity during the worst incident. CONCLUSIONS:There was a significant association between frequency of exposure and PTSS over 12 months but only for those experiencing high emotional intensity. This association remained significant when adjusting for covariates and new exposures. To understand posttraumatic stress disorder development in ambulance work, it is important to acknowledge past exposure with a focus on the interaction between a high frequency of critical incidents and the emotional intensity experienced. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Indirect exposure to traumatic events through media has increasingly been linked to trauma-related symptoms, yet little is known about how these effects unfold dynamically during prolonged crises. This 6-week longitudinal study examined the temporal and bidirectional associations between war-related media exposure, subjective media appraisal, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during the 2025 Israel-Hamas hostage deal. METHOD:A sample of 389 Israeli adults completed weekly assessments of PTSD symptoms, use of traditional and social media for war-related content, and perceptions of media exposure. Multilevel models disentangled within-person and between-person effects, and time-lagged analyses tested reciprocal associations over time. RESULTS:Higher levels of weekly media exposure were associated with increased PTSD symptoms across both traditional and social media, with largely comparable effect sizes. Subjective appraisal emerged as a central mechanism: Perceiving media exposure as stressful was robustly associated with higher PTSD symptoms at both within- and between-person levels, whereas perceiving media as supportive was modestly associated with lower symptom levels at the between-person level only. Time-lagged analyses revealed reciprocal effects between perceived media-related stress and PTSD symptoms, suggesting that distress and media experience mutually reinforce one another over time. Age moderated these associations, with younger adults exhibiting stronger covariation between distressing media appraisals and PTSD. CONCLUSIONS:Overall, the findings indicate that during prolonged, emotionally salient crises, the psychological impact of media exposure is shaped less by media type than by the emotional meaning attributed to media content, highlighting the importance of subjective appraisal and temporal dynamics in models of media-related indirect trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Childhood betrayal trauma has been linked to divergent outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychopathic traits. Although these outcomes are often conceptualized as functional opposites, their co-occurrence suggests common underlying mechanisms. This study examined whether distress tolerance, ambiguity tolerance, and impulse control difficulties explain direct and indirect associations between childhood betrayal trauma, PTSD symptoms, and psychopathic traits. METHOD:A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of young adults (N = 753). Structural models tested hypothesized direct paths from childhood betrayal trauma to PTSD and psychopathic traits, as well as indirect effects through distress tolerance and ambiguity tolerance. Distress and ambiguity tolerance were further examined as indirect pathways through impulse control difficulties. Ambiguity tolerance was also tested as a moderator of the association between betrayal trauma and psychopathic traits. RESULTS:Childhood betrayal trauma demonstrated significant direct effects on both PTSD symptoms and psychopathic traits. Indirect effects emerged through distress tolerance, as well as through distress tolerance combined with impulse control difficulties. All indirect pathways via ambiguity tolerance were nonsignificant, and ambiguity tolerance did not moderate the association between betrayal trauma and psychopathic traits. CONCLUSIONS:Findings underscore the importance of distress tolerance and impulse control difficulties as shared mechanisms linking childhood betrayal trauma to both PTSD and psychopathic traits. These results highlight transdiagnostic processes that may serve as intervention targets for addressing divergent but functionally related trauma outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:Traumatic events can evoke significant distress and shape personal and collective identities. In the context of single-event traumas, the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms (PTS) and event centrality (EC) has been found to be reciprocal. However, this dynamic remains unexplored in the context of ongoing conflicts. We examined the temporal dynamics between PTS and EC among Israeli civilians following the events of October 7, 2023. METHOD:We explored the bidirectional relationship between PTS and EC at 3, 7, 12, and 17 months after the conflict began. Participants (N = 464) completed measures of PTS and EC at each time point. Using the cross-lagged panel model and the random intercept cross-lagged panel model, we examined the cross-lagged associations between PTS and EC. RESULTS:Our findings revealed a bidirectional and phase-sensitive association between PTS and EC. During the early phase (3-7 months), EC was associated with an increase in PTS, suggesting that the centrality of the event can exacerbate distress. In contrast, PTS was associated with an increase in EC during the midphase (7-12 months), suggesting that trauma-related distress may shape the degree to which individuals integrate trauma into their sense of self. CONCLUSIONS:These results underscore a dynamic, time-sensitive interplay between distress and meaning-shaping processes. The ascription of centrality to traumatic events in an ongoing conflict may both reflect and amplify PTS. Incorporating identity and meaning-making processes into trauma models may enhance our understanding of coping mechanisms in protracted stress situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to assess burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress levels, and associated factors among midwives in Türkiye. METHOD:This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 233 midwives actively working in Türkiye between January 2022 and December 2023. Data were collected using the personal information form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Compassion Fatigue-Short Scale, and Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance, correlation, and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS:Midwives who worked overtime, experienced traumatic births, reported job dissatisfaction, or considered leaving the profession had significantly higher burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress scores (p < .05). Burnout was positively correlated with compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. Regression analyses indicated that overtime work, professional dissatisfaction, traumatic experiences, and secondary traumatic stress significantly predicted burnout levels. CONCLUSIONS:Heavy workloads and repeated exposure to traumatic events negatively affect midwives' psychological well-being. Institutional interventions aimed at reducing workplace stress, improving working conditions, and providing psychological support may help decrease burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress among midwives. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
