TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of autonomy-connectedness in the relation between childhood stressful life events, current posttraumatic symptoms, and internalizing psychopathology in adulthood
AU - Maas, Joyce
AU - Laceulle, Odilia
AU - Bekker, Marrie
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - Objective: Autonomy-connectedness (AC), the adult capacity for self-governance while being connected to others, reflects the healthy capacity of adults for self-steering. The present study's main aim was to investigate whether childhood stressful life events were associated with psychopathological symptoms in adulthood, but only in people with AC deficits. Method: We estimated path models based on data from several assessment waves, concerning childhood stressful life events, AC, and internalizing psychopathological symptoms (including posttraumatic symptoms) completed by panel members from the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences panel (community sample). Results: We found positive associations between AC deficits and childhood stressful life events, on one hand, and psychopathological symptoms in adulthood, on the other hand, as well as between childhood stressful life events and the AC component Sensitivity to Others. Importantly, we found that the association between childhood stressful life events and trauma-related hyperarousal symptoms was strongest in individuals with low levels of the AC components Self-Awareness and Capacity for Managing New Situations (moderation). Childhood stressful life events also interacted with Self-Awareness in predicting general mental health symptoms. All effect sizes were small. Conclusions: Deficits in AC, particularly regarding Self-Awareness and Capacity for Managing New Situations, may represent a vulnerability factor for developing trauma-related psychopathology. Enhancing AC may be a beneficial treatment approach for trauma-related psychopathology.
AB - Objective: Autonomy-connectedness (AC), the adult capacity for self-governance while being connected to others, reflects the healthy capacity of adults for self-steering. The present study's main aim was to investigate whether childhood stressful life events were associated with psychopathological symptoms in adulthood, but only in people with AC deficits. Method: We estimated path models based on data from several assessment waves, concerning childhood stressful life events, AC, and internalizing psychopathological symptoms (including posttraumatic symptoms) completed by panel members from the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences panel (community sample). Results: We found positive associations between AC deficits and childhood stressful life events, on one hand, and psychopathological symptoms in adulthood, on the other hand, as well as between childhood stressful life events and the AC component Sensitivity to Others. Importantly, we found that the association between childhood stressful life events and trauma-related hyperarousal symptoms was strongest in individuals with low levels of the AC components Self-Awareness and Capacity for Managing New Situations (moderation). Childhood stressful life events also interacted with Self-Awareness in predicting general mental health symptoms. All effect sizes were small. Conclusions: Deficits in AC, particularly regarding Self-Awareness and Capacity for Managing New Situations, may represent a vulnerability factor for developing trauma-related psychopathology. Enhancing AC may be a beneficial treatment approach for trauma-related psychopathology.
KW - Autonomy-connectedness
KW - Childhood stressful life events
KW - Internalizing psychopathology
KW - Posttraumatic symptoms
KW - Stress-vulnerability
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U2 - 10.1037/tra0000412
DO - 10.1037/tra0000412
M3 - Article
C2 - 30346205
AN - SCOPUS:85055095727
SN - 1942-9681
VL - 11
SP - 345
EP - 352
JO - Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
JF - Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
IS - 3
ER -