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Psychophysiological Correlates of Novel, Negative Emotional Stimuli in Trauma-Exposed Participants with PTSD Symptoms

Christ, Nicole M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1534160952853362

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Arts, University of Toledo, Psychology - Clinical.
Numerous investigations of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)’s psychophysiology have been conducted since the inception of the disorder as a mental health concern. Through these investigations, a distinct physiological profile has emerged that characterizes the experiences of trauma-exposed individuals who develop PTSD, suggesting a theory of autonomic rigidity. These studies often explored this theory through measures of cardiovagal activity or skin conductance, although rarely are these methodologies combined to form a complete understanding of the autonomic system through separate and combined branches. Through these investigations, the overwhelming majority have solely targeted the hyperarousal and re-experiencing symptoms that are often thought to characterize PTSD by employing fear-based and/or trauma-related stimuli, such as a startle response paradigm or trauma script. Further development and study of the symptoms that characterize PTSD have found other negative, non-fear-based symptoms, such as externalizing behaviors and anhedonic behaviors, are similarly important in diagnostic assessment of the disorder; however, there have been few physiological investigations of non-fear emotional states related to these diagnostic behaviors within PTSD. The present study aimed to contribute to this gap in literature by employing a mixed within- and between-subjects design to examine the effect non-fear negative emotional stimuli on trauma-exposed individuals with PTSD symptoms, compared to healthy controls. Two film clips targeted to elicit anger and sadness, respectively, were selected from a previous attempt to compile a standardized series of emotionally-evocative film clips (Gross & Levenson, 1995). Data were collected from an undergraduate college sample at a Midwestern University, with a final effective sample size of N=64. Within-between ANOVAs were conducted on each of the three dependent variables, heart rate variability, tonic skin conductance level, and strength of non-specific skin conductance response. Heart rate variability was found non-significant for a phase by group interaction, as well as for main effects of both phase and group. Both measures of skin conductance found a non-significant phase by group interaction, as well as non-significant main effect of group. Both skin conductance variables found a significant main effect of phase, specifically in that skin conductance level and strength of response was elevated in the recovery phase at the conclusion of the experiment above all other phases. These results do not support the psychophysiological profile currently found in the PTSD literature, and suggest a challenge to the generalizability of this profile given the diagnostic importance of non-fear-based emotional experiences. Additionally, these results highlight an otherwise unexpected phenomenon that occurred in the recovery phase among both groups, which is discussed further.
Jon Elhai, PhD (Committee Chair)
Jason Levine, PhD (Committee Member)
Matthew Tull, PhD (Committee Member)
67 p.
Psychology
PTSD; trauma-exposed; psychophysiology; skin conductance; heart rate variability; externalizing behaviors; anhedonia; hybrid model; anger; depression; film clips; emotion;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Christ, N. M. (2018). Psychophysiological Correlates of Novel, Negative Emotional Stimuli in Trauma-Exposed Participants with PTSD Symptoms [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1534160952853362

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Christ, Nicole. Psychophysiological Correlates of Novel, Negative Emotional Stimuli in Trauma-Exposed Participants with PTSD Symptoms. 2018. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1534160952853362.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Christ, Nicole. "Psychophysiological Correlates of Novel, Negative Emotional Stimuli in Trauma-Exposed Participants with PTSD Symptoms." Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1534160952853362

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1534160952853362
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© 2018, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Psychophysiological Correlates of Novel, Negative Emotional Stimuli in Trauma-Exposed Participants with PTSD Symptoms by Nicole M Christ is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.