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Background: Previous research has shown that interpersonal trauma is associated with higher rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD), with coping responses playing a vital role in individual differences in symptom presentation. The present online study examined differential associations between trauma type, coping styles, and trauma-related symptomatology to deepen understanding of variation in trauma-related symptomatology. Methods: The sample included N = 300 participants who reported a traumatic life event within the past 18 months, assessed with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). Events were classified post-hoc into interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma. Participants completed retrospective questions assessing posttraumatic coping strategies, current levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction. Results: The present study reports secondary analyses. Correlational analyses within both trauma groups revealed positive relationships between avoidant coping and trauma-related symptoms. Group comparisons revealed higher levels of trauma-related symptoms, lower life satisfaction, and greater use of avoidant coping strategies following interpersonal compared to non-interpersonal trauma. Furthermore, avoidant coping predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms within both trauma groups, and trauma type itself significantly predicted symptoms across the entire sample. Finally, exploratory analyses showed that avoidant coping partially mediated the relationship between trauma type and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Conclusion: These findings underscore the important role of avoidant coping in the differential associations between trauma type and trauma-related symptoms. The results highlight potential targets for intervention and prevention efforts, particularly for individuals exposed to interpersonal trauma.

Distressing intrusions are a hallmark symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This mini meta-analysis examined how the subjective distress of intrusive memories may shape their temporal dynamics, guided by the Retrieval-Based Feedback Loop Model (Marks et al., 2018). Primary datasets from six analog experimental studies were combined and reanalyzed, including a total of N = 513 participants who reported 2,573 intrusions. In these studies, either the trauma film paradigm (TFP) was used to induce analog trauma or participants reactivated a distressing life event, followed by a cognitive manipulation targeting expectancies and appraisals. Participants recorded their intrusions and associated distress in diaries. Using a recurrent time-to-event framework, intervals between consecutive intrusions were modeled as a function of standardized distress ratings. Results showed that higher distress reliably predicted shorter intervals between intrusions, and the estimated Weibull shape parameter indicated that intrusion likelihood accelerated over time. However, between-study variability highlighted potential contextual and methodological influences. Overall, findings suggest that distress not only accompanies intrusive memories but may actively drive their recurrence, indicating that both intrusion frequency and distress are important therapeutic targets.

Background Cognitive theories on trauma memory postulate that trauma-related intrusions are associated with more data-driven and less contextual processing. However, contextualisation can be enhanced via verbalization, suggesting that verbalizing traumatic material should reduce the number of intrusions and affect other trauma-relevant symptoms and processes. Methods In this experimental study, participants watched different trauma films and were instructed to verbalize the contents of each film clip, to visually imagine them, or to let their mind wander freely. Intrusions were measured via a diary and an intrusion provocation task applied three days after film presentation. General trauma-relevant symptoms were assessed with the Posttraumatic Symptom Checklist (PCL-5). Thought suppression was measured twice, i.e., before and after the experimental manipulation. During a memory processing task, participants were asked to recall the film clips, and their performance was evaluated based on the number of details they accurately remembered as well as the time it took them to do so. Results No group differences emerged regarding the number of intrusions, PCL-5 scores, memory processing task outcomes, levels of thought suppression, or data driven processing. Exploratory correlational analyses revealed that intrusion frequency (i.e., diary intrusions, provoked intrusions) and PCL-5 scores were positively correlated with thought suppression pre- and post-manipulation. Conclusion The verbalization task did not result in a reduction of intrusions and other trauma-relevant symptoms. However, results further underline the relationship between thought suppression and intrusions.