Emotional Reactivity, Emotion Regulation Capacity, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Traumatized Refugees: An Experimental Investigation

• Published in: Journal of traumatic stress 2019-02, Vol.32 (1), p.32-41
• Main Authors: Spiller, Tobias R., Liddell, Belinda J., Schick, Matthis, Morina, Naser, Schnyder, Ulrich, Pfaltz, Monique, Bryant, Richard A., Nickerson, Angela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adult; anger; case control study; Case-Control Studies; Emotional Regulation; Emotions; fear; female; heart rate; human; Humans; male; physiology; Post traumatic stress disorder; Post-Traumatic; posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychological Trauma; psychology; psychotrauma; refugee; Refugees; Stress Disorders
• ISSN: 0894-9867; 1573-6598; 1573-6598
• DOI: 10.1002/jts.22371

Refugees who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often react with strong emotions when confronted with trauma reminders. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations between low emotion regulation capacity (as indexed by low heart rate variability [HRV]), probable PTSD diagnosis, and fear and anger reaction and recovery to trauma‐related stimuli. Participants were 81 trauma‐exposed refugees (probable PTSD, n = 23; trauma‐exposed controls, n = 58). The experiment comprised three 5‐min phases: a resting phase (baseline); an exposition phase, during which participants were exposed to trauma‐related images (stimulus); and another resting phase (recovery). We assessed HRV at baseline, and fear and anger were rated at the end of each phase. Linear mixed model analyses were used to investigate the associations between baseline HRV and probable DSM‐5 PTSD diagnosis in influencing anger and fear responses both immediately after viewing trauma‐related stimuli and at the end of the recovery phase. Compared to controls, participants with probable PTSD showed a greater increase in fear from baseline to stimulus presentation, d = 0.606. Compared to participants with low emotion regulation capacity, participants with high emotion regulation capacity showed a smaller reduction in anger from stimulus presentation to recovery, d = 0.548. Our findings indicated that following exposure to trauma‐related stimuli, probable PTSD diagnosis predicted increased fear reactivity, and low emotion regulation capacity predicted decreased anger recovery. Impaired anger recovery following trauma reminders in the context of low emotion regulation capacity might contribute to the increased levels of anger found in postconflict samples. Resumen Spanish s by Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET) Reactividad Emocional, Capacidad de Regulación Emocional y trastorno por Estrés Postraumático en Refugiados Traumatizados: Una Investigación Experimental REACTIVIDAD EMOCIONAL, REGULACION EMOCIONAL Y TEPT Los refugiados que sufren de trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT) a menudo reaccionan con emociones fuertes cuando se enfrentan a recordatorios de trauma. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar las asociaciones entre la baja capacidad de regulación emocional (según la variabilidad de la frecuencia cardíaca [HRV en su sigla en inglés]), el diagnóstico probable de TEPT y la reacción de miedo e ira, y la recuperación ante estímulos relacionados‐al‐trauma. Los par