Presentation Title
The moderational effect of sexual assault on the relation between social support and PTSD
Abstract
Elevated social support is associated with lower PTSD symptoms after trauma. Social support may protect against PTSD through self-compassion, or kindness directed towards the self. This pathway may represent how an external social support enhances self-compassion to reduce PTSD. These relations are hypothesized to differ for victims of sexual assault (SA). SA is associated with more shame and guilt cognitions, which may attenuate this pathway. It was hypothesized that an index trauma of SA would moderate the mediating relation between social support, self-compassion, and PTSD. Also, social support and self-compassion would be lower for those who experienced SA, and PTSD symptoms would be higher. Participants were 358 individuals, 180 with an SA index trauma. Self-compassion, social support, and PTSD were assessed with validated self-report measures. Self-compassion (t(356)=2.68, p=.01) was lower in the SA group. Also, PTSD symptoms were higher for those in the SA group (t(356)=4.46, p<.01). However, SA did not moderate the mediated path between social support to self-compassion to PTSD (b=-.22, 95%CI: -.61 to .01). Social support was associated with increased self-compassion but was not related to PTSD symptoms. Self-compassion was negatively related to PTSD such that increased self compassion was associated with decreased PTSD symptoms. The moderational effect of SA status on the path between self-compassion and PTSD was non-significant
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Matthew Price
Faculty/Staff Collaborators
Matthew Price (Faculty Mentor)
Status
Graduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
Psychological Science
Primary Research Category
Social Sciences
The moderational effect of sexual assault on the relation between social support and PTSD
Elevated social support is associated with lower PTSD symptoms after trauma. Social support may protect against PTSD through self-compassion, or kindness directed towards the self. This pathway may represent how an external social support enhances self-compassion to reduce PTSD. These relations are hypothesized to differ for victims of sexual assault (SA). SA is associated with more shame and guilt cognitions, which may attenuate this pathway. It was hypothesized that an index trauma of SA would moderate the mediating relation between social support, self-compassion, and PTSD. Also, social support and self-compassion would be lower for those who experienced SA, and PTSD symptoms would be higher. Participants were 358 individuals, 180 with an SA index trauma. Self-compassion, social support, and PTSD were assessed with validated self-report measures. Self-compassion (t(356)=2.68, p=.01) was lower in the SA group. Also, PTSD symptoms were higher for those in the SA group (t(356)=4.46, p<.01). However, SA did not moderate the mediated path between social support to self-compassion to PTSD (b=-.22, 95%CI: -.61 to .01). Social support was associated with increased self-compassion but was not related to PTSD symptoms. Self-compassion was negatively related to PTSD such that increased self compassion was associated with decreased PTSD symptoms. The moderational effect of SA status on the path between self-compassion and PTSD was non-significant