Social defeat and<scp>PTSD</scp>symptoms following trauma

Nicholas A. Troop; Syd Hiskey

doi:10.1111/bjc.12022

Social defeat and<scp>PTSD</scp>symptoms following trauma

Nicholas A. Troop^*, Syd Hiskey

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

ObjectivesResearch indicates that constructs relevant to social rank predict a diagnosis of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including mental defeat, alienation, and shame. However, no studies have yet explored a social rank view explicitly.DesignThis was a community‐based study carried out online. Analyses were both cross‐sectional and longitudinal over 6 months.MethodsParticipants were recruited online for a cross‐sectional study (Study 1,n = 194) and a 6‐month longitudinal study (Study 2,n = 81). Measures included self‐report measures ofPTSDsymptoms (the Post‐Traumatic Diagnostic Scale) and social rank (including measures of unfavourable social comparison, social defeat, and internal/external entrapment).ResultsCross‐sectional analysis showed that social defeat, but not other aspects of social rank, was independently predictive of a diagnosis ofPTSD. Longitudinal analysis showed that greater social defeat at baseline predicted less improvement inPTSDsymptoms, whereas greater reduction in social defeat over the 6‐month follow‐up predicted greater improvement inPTSDsymptoms.ConclusionsIn addition to the implications for understanding the role of social (rather than individual mental) defeat in the aetiology ofPTSD, interventions could usefully incorporate methods that either increase social status or else minimize the impact of low status (e.g., through the use of compassion‐focused approaches).Practitioner pointsClinical implicationsPost‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status is related to social defeat independently of demographic characteristics and features of the trauma.Reduction in PTSD symptoms over 6 months is predicted by reduction in social defeat.The evidence supports the use of interventions that increase self‐perceived status or minimize the impact of low status (such as compassion‐focused approaches).Cautions or limitationsParticipants were recruited online and may not be representative of clinical samples.Measures, including diagnostic tools, were self‐report rather than interview‐ or observation based.With only two time points in the longitudinal study, direction of causality cannot be determined.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	365-379
Number of pages	0
Journal	British Journal of Clinical Psychology
Volume	52
Issue number	4
Early online date	25 Jun 2013
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12022
Publication status	Published - Nov 2013

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10.1111/bjc.12022

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title = "Social defeat andPTSDsymptoms following trauma",

abstract = "ObjectivesResearch indicates that constructs relevant to social rank predict a diagnosis of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including mental defeat, alienation, and shame. However, no studies have yet explored a social rank view explicitly.DesignThis was a community‐based study carried out online. Analyses were both cross‐sectional and longitudinal over 6 months.MethodsParticipants were recruited online for a cross‐sectional study (Study 1,n = 194) and a 6‐month longitudinal study (Study 2,n = 81). Measures included self‐report measures ofPTSDsymptoms (the Post‐Traumatic Diagnostic Scale) and social rank (including measures of unfavourable social comparison, social defeat, and internal/external entrapment).ResultsCross‐sectional analysis showed that social defeat, but not other aspects of social rank, was independently predictive of a diagnosis ofPTSD. Longitudinal analysis showed that greater social defeat at baseline predicted less improvement inPTSDsymptoms, whereas greater reduction in social defeat over the 6‐month follow‐up predicted greater improvement inPTSDsymptoms.ConclusionsIn addition to the implications for understanding the role of social (rather than individual mental) defeat in the aetiology ofPTSD, interventions could usefully incorporate methods that either increase social status or else minimize the impact of low status (e.g., through the use of compassion‐focused approaches).Practitioner pointsClinical implicationsPost‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status is related to social defeat independently of demographic characteristics and features of the trauma.Reduction in PTSD symptoms over 6 months is predicted by reduction in social defeat.The evidence supports the use of interventions that increase self‐perceived status or minimize the impact of low status (such as compassion‐focused approaches).Cautions or limitationsParticipants were recruited online and may not be representative of clinical samples.Measures, including diagnostic tools, were self‐report rather than interview‐ or observation based.With only two time points in the longitudinal study, direction of causality cannot be determined.",

author = "Troop, {Nicholas A.} and Syd Hiskey",

year = "2013",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1111/bjc.12022",

language = "English",

volume = "52",

pages = "365--379",

journal = "British Journal of Clinical Psychology",

issn = "0144-6657",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "4",

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AU - Troop, Nicholas A.

AU - Hiskey, Syd

PY - 2013/11

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N2 - ObjectivesResearch indicates that constructs relevant to social rank predict a diagnosis of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including mental defeat, alienation, and shame. However, no studies have yet explored a social rank view explicitly.DesignThis was a community‐based study carried out online. Analyses were both cross‐sectional and longitudinal over 6 months.MethodsParticipants were recruited online for a cross‐sectional study (Study 1,n = 194) and a 6‐month longitudinal study (Study 2,n = 81). Measures included self‐report measures ofPTSDsymptoms (the Post‐Traumatic Diagnostic Scale) and social rank (including measures of unfavourable social comparison, social defeat, and internal/external entrapment).ResultsCross‐sectional analysis showed that social defeat, but not other aspects of social rank, was independently predictive of a diagnosis ofPTSD. Longitudinal analysis showed that greater social defeat at baseline predicted less improvement inPTSDsymptoms, whereas greater reduction in social defeat over the 6‐month follow‐up predicted greater improvement inPTSDsymptoms.ConclusionsIn addition to the implications for understanding the role of social (rather than individual mental) defeat in the aetiology ofPTSD, interventions could usefully incorporate methods that either increase social status or else minimize the impact of low status (e.g., through the use of compassion‐focused approaches).Practitioner pointsClinical implicationsPost‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status is related to social defeat independently of demographic characteristics and features of the trauma.Reduction in PTSD symptoms over 6 months is predicted by reduction in social defeat.The evidence supports the use of interventions that increase self‐perceived status or minimize the impact of low status (such as compassion‐focused approaches).Cautions or limitationsParticipants were recruited online and may not be representative of clinical samples.Measures, including diagnostic tools, were self‐report rather than interview‐ or observation based.With only two time points in the longitudinal study, direction of causality cannot be determined.

AB - ObjectivesResearch indicates that constructs relevant to social rank predict a diagnosis of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including mental defeat, alienation, and shame. However, no studies have yet explored a social rank view explicitly.DesignThis was a community‐based study carried out online. Analyses were both cross‐sectional and longitudinal over 6 months.MethodsParticipants were recruited online for a cross‐sectional study (Study 1,n = 194) and a 6‐month longitudinal study (Study 2,n = 81). Measures included self‐report measures ofPTSDsymptoms (the Post‐Traumatic Diagnostic Scale) and social rank (including measures of unfavourable social comparison, social defeat, and internal/external entrapment).ResultsCross‐sectional analysis showed that social defeat, but not other aspects of social rank, was independently predictive of a diagnosis ofPTSD. Longitudinal analysis showed that greater social defeat at baseline predicted less improvement inPTSDsymptoms, whereas greater reduction in social defeat over the 6‐month follow‐up predicted greater improvement inPTSDsymptoms.ConclusionsIn addition to the implications for understanding the role of social (rather than individual mental) defeat in the aetiology ofPTSD, interventions could usefully incorporate methods that either increase social status or else minimize the impact of low status (e.g., through the use of compassion‐focused approaches).Practitioner pointsClinical implicationsPost‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status is related to social defeat independently of demographic characteristics and features of the trauma.Reduction in PTSD symptoms over 6 months is predicted by reduction in social defeat.The evidence supports the use of interventions that increase self‐perceived status or minimize the impact of low status (such as compassion‐focused approaches).Cautions or limitationsParticipants were recruited online and may not be representative of clinical samples.Measures, including diagnostic tools, were self‐report rather than interview‐ or observation based.With only two time points in the longitudinal study, direction of causality cannot be determined.

U2 - 10.1111/bjc.12022

DO - 10.1111/bjc.12022

M3 - Article

SN - 0144-6657

VL - 52

SP - 365

EP - 379

JO - British Journal of Clinical Psychology

JF - British Journal of Clinical Psychology

IS - 4

ER -

Social defeat and<scp>PTSD</scp>symptoms following trauma

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