title: Differentiating between appraisal process and product in cognitive theories of posttraumatic stress.
abstract: Biased appraisal is central to cognitive theories of posttraumatic stress, but little research has examined the potentially distinct meanings of the term. The ongoing process of appraising social information and the beliefs that emerge as products of that process can be distinguished conceptually. This study sought to examine whether these 2 meanings are empirically distinct as well, and if so, to begin exploring potential relations between these appraisal constructs and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Soldiers (N = 424) preparing for deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan were administered measures of each construct. Results of confirmatory factor analysis suggest that the appraisal process and the products of that process (i.e., beliefs) are indeed distinct. Structural equation models are consistent with cognitive bias and social information processing literatures, which posit that a biased appraisal process may contribute to the development of dysfunctional beliefs and posttraumatic stress symptoms following trauma. The potential utility of distinctly conceptualizing and measuring the appraisal process in both clinical and research settings is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Louisiana Veterans Health Care System.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Nanney
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Louisiana Veterans Health Care System.
authors.forename: Joseph I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Constans
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research and Development, Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System, South Central VA Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kimbrell
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Teresa L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research and Development, Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System, South Central VA Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pyne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D003071:Cognition; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011379:Prognosis; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult