The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia
ObjectivesPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following past trauma could lead to psychological distress. Little is known, however, about the roles of defense mechanisms and alexithymia may play in the process. The current study aimed to examine the potential impact of alexithymia and defe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00992/full |
| _version_ | 1818841328548577280 |
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| author | Siqi Fang Man Cheung Chung Yabing Wang |
| author_facet | Siqi Fang Man Cheung Chung Yabing Wang |
| author_sort | Siqi Fang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following past trauma could lead to psychological distress. Little is known, however, about the roles of defense mechanisms and alexithymia may play in the process. The current study aimed to examine the potential impact of alexithymia and defense mechanisms on the relationship between past trauma and distress among Chinese university students.Method455 university students completed a set of questionnaires: PTSD Checklists for DSM-5, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Defense Style Questionnaire, and General Health Questionnaire-28.ResultsPTSD following past trauma was associated with increased psychological distress. Alexithymia and defenses (especially immature defense) mediated the path between PTSD and psychological co-morbidities.ConclusionFollowing past trauma, people developed PTSD and other psychological symptoms. The severity of these distress symptoms was influenced by the way they defended themselves psychologically, and their ability to identify, express, and process distressing emotions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:24:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-886cdbf32e1344fba923bd4f9c2a13e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:24:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-886cdbf32e1344fba923bd4f9c2a13e52022-12-21T20:36:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782020-05-011110.3389/fpsyg.2020.00992524859The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and AlexithymiaSiqi Fang0Man Cheung Chung1Yabing Wang2Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaDepartment of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong KongDepartment of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong KongObjectivesPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following past trauma could lead to psychological distress. Little is known, however, about the roles of defense mechanisms and alexithymia may play in the process. The current study aimed to examine the potential impact of alexithymia and defense mechanisms on the relationship between past trauma and distress among Chinese university students.Method455 university students completed a set of questionnaires: PTSD Checklists for DSM-5, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Defense Style Questionnaire, and General Health Questionnaire-28.ResultsPTSD following past trauma was associated with increased psychological distress. Alexithymia and defenses (especially immature defense) mediated the path between PTSD and psychological co-morbidities.ConclusionFollowing past trauma, people developed PTSD and other psychological symptoms. The severity of these distress symptoms was influenced by the way they defended themselves psychologically, and their ability to identify, express, and process distressing emotions.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00992/fullpast traumaposttraumatic stress disorderalexithymiadefense mechanismspsychological distress |
| spellingShingle | Siqi Fang Man Cheung Chung Yabing Wang The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia Frontiers in Psychology past trauma posttraumatic stress disorder alexithymia defense mechanisms psychological distress |
| title | The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia |
| title_full | The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia |
| title_short | The Impact of Past Trauma on Psychological Distress: The Roles of Defense Mechanisms and Alexithymia |
| title_sort | impact of past trauma on psychological distress the roles of defense mechanisms and alexithymia |
| topic | past trauma posttraumatic stress disorder alexithymia defense mechanisms psychological distress |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00992/full |
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