title: Posttraumatic stress symptoms and well-being following relationship dissolution: past trauma, alexithymia, suppression.
abstract: To investigate whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from past trauma, alexithymia and suppression would impact on the experience of Posttraumatic Stress symptoms (PTSS) and psychological well-being following romantic relationship dissolution. One hundred and eighty-nine participants completed questionnaires measuring PTSD, alexithymia, suppression, PTSS and psychological well-being. The results showed that following relationship dissolution, higher levels of intrusion and avoidance (PTSS) and lower levels of psychological well-being were associated with PTSD from past trauma. Difficulty describing feelings was associated negatively with intrusion; difficulty identifying feelings was associated positively with psychological well-being. Suppression was associated negatively with avoidance. To conclude, PTSD from past traumas was related to PTSS symptoms and poor psychological well-being. Alexithymia and suppression were also related to the above outcomes but in a symptom-specific manner.
authors.affiliation: Natural Science and Public Health, Zayed University, P.O. Box 144534, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, man.chung@zu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Man Cheung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003710:Demography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult