Michelle L Miller, Lindsay G Flegge, Rachel S Wasson, Amy E Williams, Amanda E Wakefield, Danielle R Henderson, Michael A Bushey
{"title":"Reductions in chronic pain cognitions and impact following intensive trauma and pain rehabilitation treatments: A case study.","authors":"Michelle L Miller, Lindsay G Flegge, Rachel S Wasson, Amy E Williams, Amanda E Wakefield, Danielle R Henderson, Michael A Bushey","doi":"10.1037/tra0002270","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002270","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects millions of Americans and is frequently associated with chronic pain. Intensive delivery models for PTSD treatment help patients quickly recover, but their effect on chronic pain outcomes is understudied. In this investigation, we evaluated how intensive narrative exposure therapy (HI-NET) was associated with pain outcomes for participants with chronic pain and PTSD.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A small treatment-seeking sample (<i>N</i> = 8, 6 females; range of traumatic events: 5-15) recruited in 2022-2023 participated in six daily HI-NET sessions. All participants received pain treatment before or after participation in HI-NET. Participants completed measures at baseline, 1-week, 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up timepoints.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In addition to significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, there were substantial decreases in pain catastrophizing scores (mean 14.5-point decrease in Pain Catastrophizing Scale score [<i>M</i> = 29.50, <i>SD</i> = 12.99] to 6-month assessment [<i>M</i> = 15.00, <i>SD</i> = 9.42]) and a moderate difference in decreased pain, increased enjoyment of life, and gradual activity (mean 1.6-point decrease on the <i>Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity Scale</i> from baseline [<i>M</i> = 6.75, <i>SD</i> = 2.08] to 6-month assessment [<i>M</i> = 5.19, <i>SD</i> = 2.79]).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Participation in an intensive PTSD treatment that utilizes a lifespan approach so multiple traumatic events can be addressed was associated with meaningful changes in chronic pain outcomes that remained at 6 months postintervention. As a proof-of-concept study, these findings demonstrate HI-NET's potential for comorbid conditions and pave the way for replication in larger, randomized trials to confirm and expand its impact. Intensive PTSD treatments may be particularly beneficial to individuals with comorbid chronic pain and PTSD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13576286/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148970999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jonathan W Murphy, Amy Erlich, Sacha McBain, Erin Walker, Merdijana Kovacevic, Sarah A Pridgen, Philip Held
{"title":"Scaling massed evidence-based psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder through virtual intensive treatment: Preliminary evidence from a feasibility study.","authors":"Jonathan W Murphy, Amy Erlich, Sacha McBain, Erin Walker, Merdijana Kovacevic, Sarah A Pridgen, Philip Held","doi":"10.1037/tra0002278","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002278","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) delivered in a massed or intensive format have been shown to improve treatment completion rates while preserving clinical effectiveness. However, implementation of intensive EBPs has been limited, largely because they are traditionally delivered in person, constraining reach and scalability. The present study evaluates the feasibility of a novel initiative in which an in-person intensive treatment program (ITP) expanded access by offering stand-alone, virtually delivered intensive treatments (vITs) nationwide through interjurisdictional compacts.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were collected from 188 military service members, veterans, and eligible family members who sought care at an established, in-person ITP. Feasibility was evaluated in terms of demand, implementation, practicality, acceptability, and effectiveness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Demand for vITs was high with 90.43% of referrals resulting in treatment initiation (<i>n</i> = 170) from 29 U.S. states. Implementation indicators showed that most people preferred to meet once per day for 2 weeks (65.88%) and treatment completion was high (88.24%). Demand for vIT services increased by 50.67% year over year during the study period, demonstrating scalability and sustained uptake. Consistent reductions in PTSD and depression severity were observed across EBPs. Most participants (96.4%) reported high satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings suggest that vIT is a feasible and acceptable strategy for expanding access to massed EBPs for PTSD while remaining connected to an established in-person program. Leveraging a telemental health interjurisdictional compact enabled national reach, high engagement, and promising clinical outcomes, supporting vIT as a scalable hybrid model to reduce access barriers and wait times. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148930851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Posttraumatic stress disorder in adolescents of Pakistan: 2 years following the 2022 torrential flood.","authors":"Sana Rehman, Siti Raudzah Ghazali, Ask Elklit","doi":"10.1037/tra0002262","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002262","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adolescents in Taunsa City, District Dera Ghazi Khan, Southern Punjab, Pakistan, following the catastrophic 2022 torrential flood.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 450 adolescents were recruited using a multistage sampling method and the Krejcie and Morgan technique.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings revealed a substantial psychological impact of the flood, with 44.2% reporting moderate PTSD symptoms and 33.8% severe. Using Foa's cutoff of 31, 85.3% met or exceeded the clinical threshold. Hierarchical regression showed that gender significantly predicted PTSD symptoms in Step 1 (β = .22, <i>p</i> < .001, <i>R</i>² = .05) but became nonsignificant after adding other predictors. Anger (β = .51, <i>p</i> < .001) and experiential avoidance (β = .21, <i>p</i> < .001) were significant positive predictors, with the final model explaining 34% of the variance. Age was not significant (β = .01, <i>p</i> > .05), likely due to the narrow age range of 12-18 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study underscores the importance of integrating these psychological factors into counseling and therapeutic strategies to support PTSD recovery among flood-affected adolescents. These findings emphasize the urgency of single-session therapies as the first psychological aid in postdisaster mental health support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148930797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paige D Klein, Amy R Senger, Zara Kenigsberg, Matthew W Gallagher, Steven L Bistricky
{"title":"Guilt-related cognition and self-compassion could mediate the relation between coercive control and moral injury in women survivors of intimate partner violence.","authors":"Paige D Klein, Amy R Senger, Zara Kenigsberg, Matthew W Gallagher, Steven L Bistricky","doi":"10.1037/tra0002295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0002295","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Victim-survivors of coercive control (CC), abuse characterized by one partner controlling another's tangible and psychosocial resources, may experience moral injury (MI), distress from action or inaction that violates one's values. Similarly, victim-survivors of CC can experience distressing guilt-related cognition (GRC) regarding the abuse and diminished self-compassion (SC). Given that research investigating relationships between CC and MI is limited, this study examined whether a positive relation between CC and MI could plausibly be mediated through indirect effects of high GRC and low SC.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Women (<i>n</i> = 366) in the United States completed online measures of CC, GRC, SC, and MI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Parallel mediation analysis showed that higher CC was associated with higher MI indirectly through increased GRC and decreased SC. These results provide preliminary evidence to support plausible pathways connecting CC to MI severity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Given that CC and MI can be easily assessed and GRC and self-compassion can be modified through intervention, these findings underscore conceptual links among these variables that could guide future clinical research, given this study's design precludes conclusions regarding relationship directionality and causality. Research to assess possible longitudinal effects of CC on MI is recommended. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148930837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bilha Paryente, Nehama HaCohen, Pninit Russo-Netzer, Daniel Feingold, Jonathan Guez
{"title":"Parental competence during war: Aspects of resilience and moral injury among body handlers and civilians in Israel.","authors":"Bilha Paryente, Nehama HaCohen, Pninit Russo-Netzer, Daniel Feingold, Jonathan Guez","doi":"10.1037/tra0002282","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002282","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study examined how traumatic stress symptoms (TSS) influence parental competence (PC) among Israeli civilian parents and reservist body handlers during the Gaza war, and explored two psychological mechanisms, moral injury and psychospiritual resilience, that may exacerbate or buffer these effects.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Three hundred seventeen parents (137 body handlers, 180 civilians) completed validated measures of TSS, moral injury, psychospiritual resilience, and PC.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Structural equation modeling revealed that TSS was strongly associated with reduced PC in both groups. However, group differences emerged in the mediating pathways. Among body handlers, moral injury significantly mediated the TSS-PC association, indicating that disruptions in moral integrity and guilt-related processes were central in shaping parental functioning. In contrast, psychospiritual resilience served as a protective mediator only among civilians, mitigating the negative impact of TSS on PC through meaning making, faith, and psychological flexibility. In contrast to expectations, the direct effect of TSS on PC was stronger among civilians than body handlers, suggesting a distinct adaptive pattern within the latter group despite extreme exposure.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings highlight the need for tailored interventions addressing moral repair in highly exposed professionals and strengthening psychospiritual resources among civilian parents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148930823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachael E Wittern, Anastasiia Sverdel, Toree M Patten, Cora M Fletcher, Erin VanDerWerff, Lydia J Baker, Kristina Chernyak, Carolyn B Allard
{"title":"Trauma, guilt, and mental health in Ukrainians displaced by the 2022 Russian invasion residing in the United States.","authors":"Rachael E Wittern, Anastasiia Sverdel, Toree M Patten, Cora M Fletcher, Erin VanDerWerff, Lydia J Baker, Kristina Chernyak, Carolyn B Allard","doi":"10.1037/tra0002253","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002253","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Individuals displaced due to war face many potentially traumatic experiences (PTE). Trauma-related guilt mediates the relationship between PTE and functionally impairing posttraumatic distress, though its presence and role in mental health outcomes has not been studied in Ukrainians currently displaced due to the 2022 Russian invasion. The present study sought to examine the presence and role of PTE and trauma-related guilt in mental health outcomes in Ukrainians currently displaced due to the 2022 Russian invasion.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We assessed this relationship using cross-sectional statistical mediation analysis in a sample of 175 Ukrainian (73.1% female) evacuees in the United States.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A multiple regression of trauma-related guilt inventory cognition subscales predicting posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and somatic symptom severity revealed hindsight bias and wrongdoing to be significant independent predictors but not lack of justification. The total indirect effects of PTE on posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and somatic symptoms through hindsight bias and wrongdoing as mediators were significant and suggested that both may independently partially mediate the relationship.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Results align with research in other populations, suggesting that trauma-related guilt, especially in the form of beliefs of wrongdoing and hindsight bias in this case, may be an important treatment target in Ukrainian evacuees in the United States and that it should be studied in other war-displaced populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148887544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Harwood-Gross, Bar Lambez, Nadav Stern, Roy Aloni
{"title":"When war becomes chronic: The longitudinal relationship between coping and continuous traumatic stress.","authors":"Anna Harwood-Gross, Bar Lambez, Nadav Stern, Roy Aloni","doi":"10.1037/tra0002287","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002287","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Continuous traumatic stress response (CTSR), characterized by exhaustion, anger, and fear or helplessness, emerges from ongoing exposure to traumatic stressors, yet little research explores its risk and protective factors, specifically its relationship with coping strategies.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This three-wave longitudinal study examined changes in coping and CTSR as war-related stressors evolved between chronic (Wave 2, March-June 2024) and acute (June 2025) stages. Cross-lagged panel models were used to assess contemporaneous associations between CTSR and coping styles and their time-dependent changes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants (<i>N</i> = 522 at Wave 1, <i>N</i> = 244 at Wave 2, <i>N</i> = 287 at Wave 3) primarily experienced secondary exposure to war stressors, with all exposed to missile attack sirens. Cross-lagged panel models demonstrated that distress exerted a stronger temporal influence on coping than the reverse: Higher CTSR at Waves 1 and 2 consistently predicted subsequent decreases in forward-focused, trauma-focused, and flexible coping over time, while coping strategies showed limited capacity to predict later CTSR. Additionally, at Wave 3 (acute), preceding trauma-focused coping predicted lower peritraumatic dissociation, whereas preceding forward-focused coping predicted higher peritraumatic dissociation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that coping capacity under chronic threat is not a fixed asset but a dynamic resource vulnerable to erosion. This has implications for public health and individual support in ongoing conflict particularly the need to mitigate ongoing distress to protect depletable coping resources and preserve emotional presence during acute escalations. These results underscore the dynamic nature of coping in chronic trauma contexts, highlighting the need for tailored interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148887750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Network analysis of vicarious trauma and vicarious posttraumatic growth among oncology nurses.","authors":"Yi Zhou, Dandan Chen, Yunxian Zhou","doi":"10.1037/tra0002056","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Oncology nurses frequently experience both vicarious trauma (VT) and vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG). However, the precise relationship and structure of symptomatic levels of VT and VPTG has not been well understood. Understanding these links is essential for improving nurse well-being and patient care quality. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the connections between VT and VPTG in oncology nurses.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Four hundred one oncology nurses were recruited from multiple hospitals. They completed the VT Questionnaire and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. The graphical Gaussian model was used to estimate the network model. Central and bridge components were identified based on \"expected influence\" and \"bridge expected influence\" indices, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The network analysis showed \"Feel mentally fatigued at work\" and \"Whenever I think about the patient, I feel distressed or sad\" as the most influential components in the VT network, and \"Do better things with life\" and \"More likely to try and change things\" as the most influential elements in the VPTG network. Five bridge components emerged between the VT and VPTG, namely \"Life is fragile makes me scared,\" \"Feel distressed or sad,\" \"Can handle difficulties better,\" \"New life path,\" and \"More compassion for others.\"</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Targeted interventions such as cognitive restructuring and emotion regulation training that focus on central and bridging symptoms in the combined network of VT and VPTG may help reduce VT severity and enhance VPTG among oncology nurses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":"1203-1213"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146019535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosemary Ricciardelli, R Nicholas Carleton, Tamara L Taillieu, Sahar Dorniani, Matthew S Johnston, Tracie O Afifi
{"title":"Exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events: A national study of correctional workers in Canadian provinces and territories.","authors":"Rosemary Ricciardelli, R Nicholas Carleton, Tamara L Taillieu, Sahar Dorniani, Matthew S Johnston, Tracie O Afifi","doi":"10.1037/tra0001872","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0001872","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The knowledge is growing about how exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) among provincial and territorial correctional workers in Canada affects their mental health. In the present national study, we examine the frequencies at which correctional workers (<i>n</i> = 3,740) in diverse occupational roles across all provinces and territories are exposed to different PPTEs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Using robustly established self-report measures in surveys of each provincial and territorial correctional system, participants were grouped into consistent occupational categories to allow for comparisons and measurements of PPTE exposure and mental health disorder prevalence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nearly all correctional workers were exposed to most PPTE types, across all employment jurisdictions (<i>M</i> = 9.74, <i>SD</i> = 4.24). The most prevalent PPTE exposure type was physical assault (88.5%), followed by exposure to a sudden violent death (81.1%), sudden accidental death (76.8%), and assault with a weapon (76.0%). The least prevalent PPTE exposure types were combat (25.5%); serious injury, harm, or death you caused to someone else (28.0%); and captivity (35.4%). Most PPTE exposures were related to statistically significantly increased odds of screening positive for various mental health disorders, evidencing correctional workers are frequently experiencing injurious psychological traumas associated with mental health disorder symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We discuss our results in the context of correctional worker wellness and conclude with recommendations for policies to address mental health treatment and resource gaps in correctional services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":"1180-1193"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143365751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of different types of stress on relationship satisfaction: A dyadic longitudinal study.","authors":"Jalisa L Karim, Uzma S Rehman, Kendra S Wasson","doi":"10.1037/tra0001930","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0001930","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Robust evidence shows that stress can adversely affect relationship functioning. In this article, we distinguished between three types of stress differing in the extent to which they rely on individual perceptions. Conceptually, our assessment of <i>stressors</i> was least likely to be influenced by individual perceptions, followed by our measure of <i>worry</i>, and finally, by our measure of <i>overall stress.</i> Method: We analyzed responses from 150 couples (<i>n</i> = 300 at Time 1) over six time points (<i>n</i> = 225 at Time 6).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All three measures of stress (i.e., stressors, worry, and overall stress) were associated with decreased relationship satisfaction. When we examined actor and partner effects and their interactions simultaneously, actor effects were present, but partner main effects were not significant. For the stress variable that assessed subjective levels of stress across different areas of life, there was significant interaction between partners on this variable, and the results were consistent with a partial contagion effect. Finally, significant interactions between conflict tactics and the two subjective stress measures showed that conflict tactics used by partners moderated the effects of subjective stress on relationship satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings show that associations between stress and relationship functioning are complex and vary depending on how stress is conceptualized and measured. Our findings highlight the potential for greater theoretical integration between dyadic models of stress, specifically the Vulnerability Stress Adaption model and the transactional model of stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":20982,"journal":{"name":"Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy","volume":" ","pages":"1351-1363"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}