Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

6495

Date

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Psychology

Committee Chair

Meghan McDevitt-Murphy

Committee Member

James Murphy

Committee Member

Jia Wei Zhang

Abstract

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with the expression of various social emotions, including shame and guilt. Although relations between shame, guilt, and PTSD have been researched extensively in terms of clinical relevance, the mechanisms underlying the relationships are still generally unknown. Adult attachment style is a social bonding mechanism that is related to both social emotions and PTSD severity. The present study investigates relations among adult attachment style, PTSD severity, shame, and guilt in a sample of 208 US military veterans and active duty personnel who served in combat zones. The study tested a mediational model, such that shame and guilt were investigated mediators of the relationship between adult attachment style and PTSD severity. Measures include PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD Severity), the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (Adult Attachment Style), and the Differential Emotions Scale-IV (Shame and Guilt). The project is a secondary analysis of data collected from a cross-sectional study that included self-report measures through an online survey. Researching this topic area has the potential to shed light on the distinct mechanisms involved in the relationship between adult attachment, social emotion regulation, and PTSD.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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