Distress Tolerance As Risk And Maintenance Factor For Ptsd: Empirical And Clinical Implications

Distress tolerance is defined as the perceived or actual ability to tolerate negative or aversive emotional or physical states and is theoretically and clinically relevant to the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Distress tolerance is conceptualized as a risk or resilience factor and a clinical target for PTSD prevention or early intervention efforts. Empirical research has documented the significant negative (inverse) association between distress tolerance and PTSD symptoms among youth and adults exposed to potentially traumatizing events, although the bulk of the existing studies are limited by mostly cross-sectional methodologies and/or a focus on subclinical samples. This chapter provides a theoretical framework for understanding the potential role of distress tolerance in the context of exposure to trauma and reviews extant literature. Future work, utilizing varied methodologies and assessment tools and focusing upon varied populations, is needed to build upon this preliminary, potentially clinical meaningful empirical foundation.