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An Evaluation of Changes in Cognitive Appraisal and Emotion Regulation in the Treatment of PTSD in Individuals with Severe Mental Illness

Lee, Alisha
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1436786618

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Psychology - Clinical.
The primary theories (Ehlers & Clark, 2000; Foa & Kozak, 1986) concerning the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are cognitive in nature. Subsequently, the front-line treatments for PTSD have been cognitive behavioral treatments; however, research examining the efficacy of these treatments has largely excluded individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) as participants. Thus, research on treatments for PTSD in individuals with SMI is limited, and only cognitive treatments for this population have been examined (Frueh et al., 2009; Mueser et al., 2008). Recent literature (Ehring & Quack, 2010; Price, Monson, Callahan, & Rodriguez, 2006) has emerged demonstrating that programs focused on improving emotion regulation (ER) in individuals who have PTSD are effective (Kearney et al., 2012; Kimbrough et al., 2010); however, research is still lacking concerning the use of this treatment modality with individuals with comorbid PTSD and SMI. Wellness Management and Recovery (WMR), a psychoeducational group program aimed at promoting mental health recovery in individuals with SMI has recently been evaluated and determined to be associated with reductions in PTSD in individuals who have completed the program (Lee, 2011). However, the mechanisms through which WMR works remain unclear. As a result, the purpose of the current study was to utilize self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, cognitive appraisal of a traumatic event, and ER to determine whether or not WMR’s impact on trauma-related beliefs or ER significantly predicted participants’ reduction in PTSD symptoms. Results of the present study demonstrated that following participation in WMR, individuals’ self-reported levels of PTSD symptoms, trauma-related cognitions, and ER difficulties decreased. Regression analyses revealed that both changes in cognition and ER predicted changes in participants’ self-reported levels of PTSD symptoms; however, changes in ER were found to be the superior predictor, predicting 18% more of the variance in change in PTSD symptoms than did changes in trauma-related cognitions. The results of this study suggest that PTSD treatments developed for individuals with SMI may be most effective if interventions aimed at increasing ER skills are integrated into treatment protocols.
Wesley Bullock, PhD (Committee Chair)
Jeanne Brockmyer, PhD (Committee Member)
Stephen Christman, PhD (Committee Member)
Janet Hoy, PhD (Committee Member)
Sallyann Treadaway, PhD (Committee Member)
Psychology
severe mental illness, recovery, wellness management and recovery, PTSD

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lee, A. (2015). An Evaluation of Changes in Cognitive Appraisal and Emotion Regulation in the Treatment of PTSD in Individuals with Severe Mental Illness [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1436786618

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lee, Alisha. An Evaluation of Changes in Cognitive Appraisal and Emotion Regulation in the Treatment of PTSD in Individuals with Severe Mental Illness. 2015. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1436786618.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lee, Alisha. "An Evaluation of Changes in Cognitive Appraisal and Emotion Regulation in the Treatment of PTSD in Individuals with Severe Mental Illness." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1436786618

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.