Acquired equivalence in U.S. veterans with symptoms of posttraumatic stress: reexperiencing symptoms are associated with greater generalization.

The severity and number of reexperiencing symptoms (e.g., flashbacks) show considerable variability across individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One interpretation of reexperiencing symptoms invokes generalization: Specifically, the traumatic memory may be stored in such a way that neutral stimuli that only vaguely resemble some feature of the traumatic event are sufficient to trigger the memory. If this is the case, then individuals with higher levels of reexperiencing symptoms might show greater generalization, even in contexts unrelated to trauma. In the current study, an acquired equivalence test was used to assess associative learning and generalization in 114 U.S. veterans who were also given a test of declarative memory. PTSD symptoms were rated by the veteran. After adjusting for demographic variables, psychoactive medication use, and initial learning, regression analyses showed that the number of PTSD reexperiencing symptoms significantly improved the model for generalization ( = -.23, R-2 = .34) but not associative learning or declarative memory. The results support the idea that generalization is linked to reexperiencing symptoms, is not limited to learning about traumatic events, and can emerge even in a relatively innocuous computer-based learning task. Resumen Equivalencia Adquirida en Veteranos La severidad y numero de sintomas de re-experimentacion (ej. flasbacks) muestra una variabilidad considerable entre los individuos con trastorno por estres post-traumatico (TEPT). Una interpretacion de los sintomas de re-experimentacion es que invoca generalizacion: especificamente, la memoria traumatica puede ser almacenada de tal manera que estimulos neutrales que solo vagamente se asemejan en algunos aspectos al evento traumatico son suficientes para desencadenar el recuerdo traumatico. Si este es el caso, entonces los individuos con niveles mas altos de sintomas de re-experimentacion pueden mostrar mayor generalizacion, incluso en contextos no relacionados al trauma. En este estudio, se uso un test de equivalencia adquirida (EA) para evaluar el aprendizaje asociativo y la generalizacion en 114 veteranos norteamericanos, a quienes tambien se les aplico un test de memoria declarativa. Los sintomas de TEPT fueron ranqueados por cada veterano. Despues de ajustar las variables demograficas, uso de medicamentos psicoactivos y aprendizaje inicial, el analisis de regresion mostro que el numero de sintomas de re-experimentacion de TEPT mejoro significativamente el modelo por generalizacion (B = -.23, R2 = .34) pero no el aprendizaje asociativo o la memoria declarativa. Estos resultados apoyan la idea que la generalizacion esta ligada a los sintomas de re-experimentacion, no esta limitada al aprendizaje sobre eventos traumaticos e incluso puede emerger en una tarea inocua de aprendizaje basado en un computador. Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by AsianSTSS ??: ?????????????????????????????????? ??: ??????(PTSD)??????????(???),?????????????????????????????????? ?????????,??????????????????????????????????????,?????????????????????,?????????????????????????,??114?????????????????,?????????????????????PTSD?????????????????????????????????, ??PTSD???????????????????( = -.23, R2 = .34),???????????????????????,??????????,?????????,??????????????????????? ??: ?????????????????????????????????? ??: ??????(PTSD)??????????(???),?????????????????????????????????? ?????????,?????????????????????????????????????,?????????????????????,?????????????????????????,??114?????????????????,?????????????????????PTSD?????????????????????????????????, ??PTSD???????????????????( = -.23, R2 = .34),???????????????????????,??????????,????????,????????????????????????