Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy最新文献

{"title":"A preliminary investigation of the relationship between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and fear inhibition processes in the context of circadian misalignment.","authors":"Vivien Vuong, Elise M McGlashan, Sonia Birch, Dean Acheson, Eleni Kavaliotis, James A Courtney, Victoria B Risbrough, Sean P A Drummond","doi":"10.1037/tra0002257","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002257","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is implicated in fear inhibition processes critical for trauma recovery. However, prior experimental models of REM sleep disruption have lacked ecological validity by manipulating sleep without accounting for circadian timing. Circadian misalignment frequently occurs in occupations at high risk of trauma exposure. The present study examined the relationship between REM sleep and fear inhibition in the context of experimentally induced circadian misalignment.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 42 healthy adults (<i>M</i>_age = 24.89, <i>SD</i> = 5.11) were randomized to one of three conditions for four nights: (a) normal control (<i>n</i> = 18), (b) circadian disruption with placebo administration (<i>n</i> = 14), or (c) circadian disruption with melatonin (3 mg) administration (<i>n</i> = 10). Circadian disruption consisted of two consecutive 4-hr phase advances. Fear inhibition was measured via the fear-potentiated startle task. Degree of circadian misalignment was measured via the phase angle between peak urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin and scheduled wake time.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Greater circadian misalignment on Night 4 significantly predicted larger reductions in both REM% (<i>p</i> = .010) and REM minutes (<i>p</i> = .002) that night. Controlling for changes in total sleep time and slow wave sleep, reductions in REM minutes on Night 4 significantly predicted poorer extinction recall the following day (Δ<i>R</i>² = .12, <i>p</i> = .040), whereas reductions in REM% showed a nonsignificant small-to-moderate association (<i>p</i> = .087).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Individuals experiencing greater reductions in REM sleep under circadian misalignment demonstrated poorer extinction recall. Interestingly, circadian misalignment predicted the same change in sleep (reduced REM minutes) also linked to poor extinction recall. Given the role of extinction recall in trauma-related psychopathology, these findings may have implications for frontline personnel at increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder. However, larger samples are needed to confirm these preliminary findings. (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":"2026-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148841194","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":"What doesn't kill you (sometimes) makes you stronger: The role of growth, meaning, and perceived control after trauma.","authors":"April Fraser, Kristina Howansky, Melissa Zeligman","doi":"10.1037/tra0002275","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002275","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Meaning making is a central process in trauma recovery, yet findings regarding its impact on psychological outcomes are inconsistent. In two studies, we examined the relationship between search for meaning, posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptomatology, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) and whether locus of control (LOC) moderated these associations.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Two studies used online cross-sectional surveys of U.S. adults (53.69% cisgender women; <i>M</i>_age = 39.16, <i>SD</i>_age = 13.94). In Study 1 (<i>N</i> = 150), participants completed measures of PTS symptomatology, depression, anxiety, meaning in life, and PTG and provided open-ended responses describing their meaning-making strategies. In Study 2 (<i>N</i> = 582), participants completed the same measures and measures of LOC to test the moderating effect of LOC while controlling for trauma exposure and recency. Participants represented diverse ages, genders, and racial/ethnic backgrounds.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Across both studies, the presence of meaning was associated with lower PTS symptomatology and higher PTG, while searching for meaning was linked to greater PTS symptomatology and unrelated to PTG. Participants who focused on a lack of control reported lower symptomatology. In Study 2, individuals with high meaning but low internal LOC reported more distress than those with high internal LOC. Searching for meaning was more strongly associated with distress among individuals with high belief in chance, but belief in powerful others did not moderate outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Meaning making and perceived control shape trauma recovery. Clinicians should consider clients' control beliefs when implementing meaning-centered interventions by fostering internal control. (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":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148812804","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":"A qualitative study of mental health challenges and coping mechanisms among Venezuelan migrants residing in Colombia.","authors":"Nancy Jacquelyn Pérez-Flores, Beatriz Costas-Rodríguez, Diana Gomez, Maria Pineros-Leano","doi":"10.1037/tra0002254","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The present study aims to examine the mental health needs and challenges faced by Venezuelan migrants in Colombia through the lens of Venezuelan migrant caregivers and service providers who work closely with them. Using the Lazarus Stress Theory, the study examines how migrants' perceptions of threat and coping potential interact with stressors, shaping their mental health over time.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A convenience sampling approach was used to conduct semistructured interviews with 21 service providers who predominantly work with Venezuelan migrants and 29 Venezuelan caregivers residing in Colombia. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two major themes were identified: (a) constant financial instability and uncertainty affecting Venezuelan migrant caregivers' well-being and family dynamics and (b) the role of healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms in shaping the mental health of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings contribute to a growing body of research on the intersection of economic hardship, migration, and mental health among Latin American populations, highlighting the unique stressors experienced by Venezuelan families in transnational contexts. (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":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13571978/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148813968","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}

{"title":"Beyond discrimination: A systematic review of empirical studies assessing racial trauma and race-based traumatic stress.","authors":"Edwin F Jurado, Catherine Low, Lorraine T Benuto","doi":"10.1037/tra0002249","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0002249","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Racial trauma has emerged as a significant public health and clinical concern, yet empirical conclusions have been limited by heterogeneous measurement approaches and inconsistent methodological rigor. This systematic review synthesizes empirical studies that explicitly assessed racial trauma or race-based traumatic stress using validated, trauma-specific instruments to clarify symptom expression, mechanisms, contextual influences, and implications for clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A comprehensive search was conducted across four databases, and studies were included if they used a validated racial trauma or race-based traumatic stress-specific measure or involved psychometric validation of such instruments. Dual screening and independent coding were employed. Methodological quality was evaluated using Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments for psychometric studies and Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies for cross-sectional research. Forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Racial trauma measures demonstrated strong reliability, structural validity, and criterion validity, although few studies assessed measurement invariance across racial and ethnic groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings highlight the structural validity of existing instruments and clarify how racial trauma diverges from traditional posttraumatic stress disorder frameworks. Racial trauma was consistently associated with negative cognitions, somatic distress, and pervasive negative affect. Symptom expression was influenced by varying intersecting identities and institutional contexts, leading to comorbidities including risky substance use. Interventions emphasizing collective resilience, culturally grounded coping, and psychedelic-assisted therapy show preliminary promise.</p><p><strong>Conlusion: </strong>This review consolidates the empirical evidence for racial trauma as a distinct, measurable construct that operates independently of generalized psychopathology. It highlights the need for systemic reform and prioritizes integrating validated measures into clinical practice to foster culturally responsive care. (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":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148814105","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":"Childhood sexual abuse, concealment, and suicidality in gay Black and Latinx men.","authors":"Billy P Hayes, Manuel F Ramirez","doi":"10.1037/tra0002269","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002269","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a major risk factor for suicidal behavior that disproportionately affects gay men yet remains understudied. Using data from Black and Latinx gay men in Wave 1 of the generations study (<i>N</i> = 127), we examined whether three types of CSA (unwanted touching, coerced sexual contact, and coerced sexual intercourse) predicted suicidal behavior and whether sexual identity concealment moderated these effects.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were drawn from Wave 1 of the generations study and included 127 Black and Latinx cisgender gay men. Hierarchical logistic regression models tested associations between CSA types and lifetime suicidal behavior. Models controlled for age, income, education, psychological distress, and felt stigma and tested CSA × Sexual Identity Concealment interaction effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Unwanted touching and coerced sexual contact were unrelated to suicidal behavior, and effects did not vary by concealment. However, coerced sexual intercourse interacted with concealment (<i>p</i> = .045) and at higher concealment (+1 standard deviation) and was associated with seven times greater odds of suicidal behavior (<i>p</i> = .099). Psychological distress independently predicted suicidality across models.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings suggest identity concealment may heighten suicide risk following severe CSA and underscore the burden of distress among Black and Latinx gay men. Clinically, results highlight the importance of assessing trauma severity and concealment-related stress when evaluating suicide risk and suggest that interventions aimed at reducing concealment-driven distress may be critical for survivors of coerced sexual intercourse. (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":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148814072","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":"Unpacking posttraumatic growth: Identifying predictors in trauma-affected individuals using machine learning.","authors":"Laura Mertens, Yannick Vander Zwalmen, Gerly Tamm, Kristof Hoorelbeke","doi":"10.1037/tra0002259","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002259","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Emotion regulation influences psychological responses to trauma, with event-related rumination affecting the development of posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Deliberate rumination-conscious, intentional reflection on negative life events-is key to fostering growth and resilience. However, it remains unclear which aspects of deliberate rumination best predict PTG and whether these vary across PTG dimensions (e.g., Relating to Others, Appreciation of Life).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This cross-sectional study examined PTG predictors among 710 individuals meeting posttraumatic stress disorder Criterion A. Deliberate rumination, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, trauma-related aspects, and demographic variables were considered as potential predictors of PTG. A machine learning model (Random Forest) was employed to identify key predictors and assess variation in predictive performance across PTG dimensions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The model achieved a root-mean-square error of 0.81 and <i>R</i>² of .32 for overall PTG level. Domain-specific models showed slightly lower but comparable performance (root-mean-square error = 0.83-0.87, <i>R</i>² = .22-.29). Feature importance analysis highlighted the importance of specific aspects of deliberate rumination for PTG, particularly reflection on how the traumatic experience changed one's life, what was learned, and its future meaning. Confronting one's feelings about the event and belief reevaluation also predicted higher growth. In contrast, trauma-related and demographical factors contributed minimally. Exploratory analyses suggested that reflecting on life changes and future implications was important across most PTG dimensions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although cross-sectional, our findings underscore the role of emotion regulation in fostering PTG, with specific aspects of deliberate rumination contributing uniquely to different growth dimensions. (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":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148814148","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":"Mental health and support profiles among children's advocacy center multidisciplinary team members working with victims of child sexual abuse material.","authors":"Kimberly J Mitchell, Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan, Lisa M Jones, Wendy Walsh, Deirde Colburn, Jennifer E O'Brien","doi":"10.1037/tra0002251","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002251","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Professionals working with child sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), are at risk for adverse mental health outcomes due to repeated exposure to distressing experiences. Previous research on trauma-exposed professionals working with CSAM has focused on forensic examiners and law enforcement personnel, overlooking other Children's Advocacy Center multidisciplinary team (MDT) members who engage in CSAM-related work. Guided by compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress frameworks, this study examined heterogeneity in occupational functioning among MDT professionals working with CSAM-related cases.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study applied latent profile analysis to examine mental health and support patterns in a sample of 357 MDT members affiliated with Children's Advocacy Centers in the United States. Profiles were based on symptoms (e.g., depression, burnout), work-related attitudes, support seeking, and agency support. Occupational and agency-level factors were compared across profiles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A four-profile solution emerged: (1) isolated burnout (9.2%), (2) unsupported burnout (21.9%), (3) ambivalent (51.0%), and (4) empowered and supported (17.9%). Profiles differed across levels of psychological distress, burnout, organizational support, autonomy, and work-related functioning. The isolated burnout profile demonstrated the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and burnout, whereas the empowered and supported profile demonstrated the lowest distress and greatest organizational support.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings highlight heterogeneity in trauma-related occupational functioning among MDT members, with the majority reporting good mental health and feelings toward their work. The findings suggest that MDT professionals exposed to CSAM-related work do not experience uniform psychological outcomes and that organizational support, autonomy, and positive professional engagement may co-occur with more adaptive functioning. (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":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148797619","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":"Transgressions of self and others: Exploring the associations between moral injury symptoms, social connectedness, and psychological well-being.","authors":"Wade Ferguson, Mal Flack, Kim M Caudwell","doi":"10.1037/tra0002300","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002300","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Moral injury and lack of social connectedness are negatively associated with psychological well-being for those who have transitioned from military to civilian roles. However, the way in which the experiences of moral injury shape veterans' social connectedness and psychological well-being is less well understood. The present study explores the nature of the relationships between aspects of moral injury, social connectedness, and psychological well-being.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Australian Defence Force veterans (<i>N</i> = 240; <i>M</i>_age = 50.86, <i>SD</i>_age = 12.77; 86.5% male) participated in an online survey, providing data on their experiences of moral injury events, expressions of moral injury symptoms, sense of social connectedness, and psychological well-being. Path analyses were used to test interrelationships between these constructs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Analyses revealed that both transgressions related to self and others were positively related to self-directed and other-directed moral injury symptoms, respectively. In turn, other-directed and self-directed moral injury symptoms were negatively associated with psychological well-being via social connectedness, with self-directed moral injury symptoms maintaining a negative association with psychological well-being. Additional testing found the path model remained constant when comparing the model fit between those who reported being deployed in combat roles and those who did not.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study underscores the significance of social connectedness in relation to veteran psychological well-being, emphasizing the importance of using an integrative support system that can holistically address both the internal moral quandaries and the external challenges of social reintegration in the ex-serving veteran context. (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":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148797584","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":"Evaluation of a pilot implementation of clinician support for the PTSD coach mobile app in Veterans Affairs Primary Care Mental Health Integration programs.","authors":"Kyle Possemato, Katherine Buckheit, Shannon Mckenzie, Sarah Ingle, Robyn Sedotto, Michael Wade, Eric Kuhn","doi":"10.1037/tra0002228","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are common in primary care (PC) patients but often go untreated, as PC-based PTSD interventions are not widely available, and many patients do not engage in PTSD treatment in specialty settings. Expanding implementation of evidence-based PTSD treatment in PC can increase treatment access. We conducted a program evaluation of a 1-year pilot implementation program of a PC-based PTSD treatment that combines clinician support with a mobile app.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Thirty mental health clinicians embedded in PC from clinics across the Veterans Health Administration were trained in Clinician-Supported (CS) PTSD Coach and then participated in community of practice calls. RE-AIM outcomes of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance were assessed via electronic medical record notes and provider surveys. Implementation barriers, enablers, and adaptations were systematically tracked during implementation activities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Reach: A total of 871 CS PTSD Coach sessions were delivered to 348 patients.</p><p><strong>Effectiveness: </strong>Patients demonstrated improvement in PTSD severity (<i>d</i> = -0.37, <i>p</i> < .001). Adoption: Twenty-seven clinicians (90%) from 16 of 18 Veterans Health Administration geographic regions delivered CS PTSD Coach sessions.</p><p><strong>Implementation: </strong>Regarding intervention fidelity, 77%-87% of the essential elements were delivered. Maintenance: Twenty clinicians (71%) continued using CS PTSD Coach after active implementation support.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The training and implementation support program resulted in strong uptake of CS PTSD Coach, with adherent and effective delivery. The program structure and identified solutions to implementation challenges can inform future large-scale efforts to implement interventions that incorporate mobile apps to help address the needs of trauma survivors. (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":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13495989/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148797586","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}

{"title":"When war sneaks in through the window: Media exposure and trauma during ongoing crises.","authors":"Tali Gazit, Lee Greenblatt-Kimron, Osnat Lavenda, Yuval Palgi, Gali Weissberger, Amit Shrira","doi":"10.1037/tra0002248","DOIUrl":"10.1037/tra0002248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Indirect exposure to traumatic events through media has increasingly been linked to trauma-related symptoms, yet little is known about how these effects unfold dynamically during prolonged crises. This 6-week longitudinal study examined the temporal and bidirectional associations between war-related media exposure, subjective media appraisal, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during the 2025 Israel-Hamas hostage deal.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A sample of 389 Israeli adults completed weekly assessments of PTSD symptoms, use of traditional and social media for war-related content, and perceptions of media exposure. Multilevel models disentangled within-person and between-person effects, and time-lagged analyses tested reciprocal associations over time.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher levels of weekly media exposure were associated with increased PTSD symptoms across both traditional and social media, with largely comparable effect sizes. Subjective appraisal emerged as a central mechanism: Perceiving media exposure as stressful was robustly associated with higher PTSD symptoms at both within- and between-person levels, whereas perceiving media as supportive was modestly associated with lower symptom levels at the between-person level only. Time-lagged analyses revealed reciprocal effects between perceived media-related stress and PTSD symptoms, suggesting that distress and media experience mutually reinforce one another over time. Age moderated these associations, with younger adults exhibiting stronger covariation between distressing media appraisals and PTSD.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, the findings indicate that during prolonged, emotionally salient crises, the psychological impact of media exposure is shaped less by media type than by the emotional meaning attributed to media content, highlighting the importance of subjective appraisal and temporal dynamics in models of media-related indirect trauma. (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":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148760950","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}