title: The influence of sense of coherence and mindfulness on PTSD symptoms and posttraumatic cognitions in a sample of elderly Austrian survivors of World War II.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sense of Coherence (SOC) and mindfulness are known protective factors against psychopathology, also in older age. We set out to investigate the influence of SOC and mindfulness on posttraumatic symptoms and cognitions in the context of lifetime trauma in elderly persons with a history of childhood war-experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elderly Austrians (N = 97) filled in questionnaires on traumatic lifetime experiences and posttraumatic symptoms (ETI), posttraumatic cognitions (PTCI), SOC (SOC-13) and mindfulness (FFMQ). We expected the influence of SOC scores on posttraumatic symptoms and cognitions to be on one hand influenced by mindfulness. On the other hand, we expected that both aspects would uniquely explain fewer posttraumatic symptoms and cognitions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported various lifetime traumas (M = 2.42), including experiences during World War II (WWII) as children and adolescents. Mindfulness partially mediated the association of SOC scores with posttraumatic cognitions, but not with posttraumatic symptoms. However, in a two-stage mediation model, mindfulness significantly predicted posttraumatic symptoms via its effects on posttraumatic cognitions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although SOC was the strongest predictor of posttraumatic symptoms, mindfulness influenced the severity of posttraumatic symptoms via its effects on posttraumatic cognitions. We discuss implications for mindfulness-based interventions on trauma-related cognitions in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology,University of Vienna,Liebiggasse 5,Vienna,Austria.
authors.forename: Tobias M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Glück
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology,University of Vienna,Liebiggasse 5,Vienna,Austria.
authors.forename: Ulrich S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology,University of Vienna,Liebiggasse 5,Vienna,Austria.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raninger
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology,University of Vienna,Liebiggasse 5,Vienna,Austria.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lueger-Schuster
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D047789:World War II
keywords: FFMQ; adaptation; childhood trauma; coping; mediation model; resilience; war-related trauma