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The goal of this research project is to further understand the interactive effects of childhood adversity and adult attachment on posttraumatic stress symptoms in adulthood. Psychologists have found that both factors influence how individuals interpret and respond to traumatic events. Attachment researchers have reported that the models of the self and other, which are developed through early experiences with attachment figures, contribute to the strategies we use both during and after trauma (Bowlby, 1969/1982; Mikulincer et al., 2015). These models determine how capable we find ourselves to be (model of the self) and whether we seek external support (model of others) to overcome experiences of trauma. Furthermore, psychologists have found that frequent adverse childhood experiences may cause individuals to be vulnerable to the effects of stress in adulthood and therefore more likely to develop posttraumatic stress symptoms (Heim & Nemeroff, 2001; Schalinski et al., 2016). To date, an association between four or more adverse childhood experiences and greater posttraumatic stress symptom severity has been found (Schalinski et al., 2016). Although evidence exists to support that childhood adversity and attachment are risk factors for posttraumatic stress, no previous researchers have explored the interactive effects of childhood adversity and adult attachment on posttraumatic stress symptoms. To expand on previous literature, this study along with the data collected in study 1 (see OSF registration, The price of good behaviour: The effects of individual differences of attachment, childhood adversity and stress symptoms on behaviour) will shed light on how reports of adult attachment and childhood adversity interact to contribute to posttraumatic stress symptoms in adulthood. Participants from online social networking groups will be recruited to complete measures of attachment to mother and father (Scharfe, 2016), childhood adversity (Felitti et al., 1998; Ports et al., 2016) and posttraumatic stress symptomatology (Weathers et al., 1993). We will be using the cut off established by Felitti et al. (1998) to assign participants to either a low adversity group (0-3 adverse childhood experiences) or a high adversity group (4+ adverse childhood experiences). Participants will also be asked if they have experienced a past traumatic event. Data will be dichotomized into two groups: yes, they have experienced a traumatic event or no, they have not experienced a traumatic event. Only data from participants who have experienced a traumatic event will be analyzed. Hierarchical regression analyses will be used to evaluate the moderation model. It is expected that four or more childhood experiences will strengthen the relationship between attachment and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Overall, this study plans to expand literature by exploring why some individuals are vulnerable to developing posttraumatic stress symptoms while others remain resilient to the effects of trauma. |
