title: Do Negative Changes in Worldview Mediate Links Between Mass Trauma and Reckless Behavior? A Longitudinal Exploratory Study.
abstract: Trauma exposure heightens the risk of reckless behavior and is now included in DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology. Individuals exposed to trauma may be likely to engage in reckless behavior because of negative changes in their worldview (referred to as disrupted worldview). The current study investigates the relationship between DSM-IV posttraumatic stress symptoms, disrupted worldview, and increased reckless behavior among 1145 students exposed to mass violence. Total posttraumatic stress symptomatology was associated with increased and persistent reckless behavior, supporting DSM-5 diagnostic inclusion. Although posttraumatic stress symptomatology predicted reckless behavior among those with varying levels of posttraumatic symptomatology, individuals with high symptomatology reported significantly higher recklessness. Disrupted worldview mediated the relationship between posttraumatic symptomatology and reckless behavior among individuals with high symptomatology, while only partially mediating the relationship among those with low symptomatology. These findings provide support for worldview disruptions as a mechanism by which prolonged reckless behavior may be manifested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mailing Code 0436, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. claireblevins0@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Blevins
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mailing Code 0436, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wusik
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mailing Code 0436, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Connor P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mailing Code 0436, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Russell T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014768:Virginia; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community violence; Disrupted worldview; Functional impairment; PTSD; Reckless behavior; School shooting