The Predictive Effect Of Combined Cognitive Biases On Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD)is a psychological disorder which develops after the exposure to actual or threatened death,serious injury,or sexual violence in direct or indirect ways.Reexperiencing/intrusion,avoidance,negative alterations in cognitions and mood,and hyperarousal are the main symptoms of PTSD,which have a wide range of negative effects on individuals’ social and physical functions,and will lead to a huge economic burden.Therefore,it is urgent to investigate the influencing factors and formation mechanism of PTSD.According to the cognitive model of PTSD,the negative biases in attention,appraisal and memory are important cognitive processes underlying the generation,development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms.The previous studies have revealed the predictive effect of a single negative cognitive bias on the level of PTSD.However,both theoretical and empirical studies in recent years have shown that the effects of negative cognitive bias on PTSD are not independent of each other.On the contrary,they affect the symptom level and longitudinal development of PTSD in a combined manner.Therefore,it is necessary to investigate the predictive effects of combined cognitive biases(attentional bias,appraisal bias,and memory bias)and the integrative models(additive model vs.weakest link model)on PTSD symptoms.In addition,environmental factors(life stress,social support)also play an important role and may interact with cognitive factors to influence PTSD symptoms.It is also necessary to further investigate the interaction between negative cognitive bias with life stress and social support.In view of above,the present study was to explore the predictive effects of combined cognitive biases(attentional bias,appraisal bias,and memory bias)and the integrative models(additive model vs.weakest link model)on PTSD symptoms,and the interaction between cognitive bias and environmental factors(life stress,social support).Sixty college students(Mage=20.17,SDage=2.11)with PTSD symptoms completed a computerized version of the scrambled sentences test(measuring appraisal bias)while their eye movements were recorded(measuring attention bias).This task was followed by an incidental free recall test of previously constructed interpretations(measuring memory bias).Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5 was administrated to measure participants’ PTSD symptom.Life stress was assessed through self-reported Life Event Scale,and social support was obtained by self-reported Social Support Rate Scale.SPSS 22.0 and Mplus 8.0 were used to analyze the data.The main findings of the present study were as follows:(1)In terms of the effect of combined cognitive biases,negative attentional selection bias and maintenance bias could significantly positively predict negative appraisal bias,and negative appraisal bias could significantly positively predict negative memory bias.In addition,negative attentional selection bias and appraisal bias could significantly positively predict the level of PTSD symptoms.(2)As for the longitudinal integrative models of PTSD,the additive model,instead of the weak link model,could significantly predicted the level of PTSD.That is to say,the development of PTSD symptoms does not depend on the dominantly cognitive process toward negative material,but on the overall number and level of negative bias cognitive process.(3)In terms of the interaction between cognitive and environmental,none of the integrative models interacted with life stress and social support to predict the PTSD symptom.Based on an integrative perspective,current research focused on the effect of combined cognitive biases(attentional bias,appraisal bias,and memory bias)and the integrative models(additive model vs.weakest link model)on PTSD symptoms,as well as its interaction with environmental factors.The results of this study provide new empirical support for the combined cognitive biases hypothesis,and also suggest that clinical interventions for PTSD should consider the combined negative cognitive biases,rather than a specific stage of cognitive processing.