Compartmentalization of self-representations in female survivors of sexual abuse and assault, with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study examined the structure of the self-concept in a sample of sexual trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to healthy controls using a self-descriptive card-sorting task. We explored whether individuals with PTSD possess a highly affectively-compartmentalized self-structure, whereby positive and negative self-attributes are sectioned off into separate components of self-concept (e.g. self as an employee, lover, mother). We also examined redundancy (i.e. overlap) of positive and negative self-attributes across the different components of self-concept.

Method

Participants generated a set of self-aspects that reflected their own life (e.g. 'self at work'). They were then asked to describe their self-aspects using list of positive

SUBMITTER: Clifford G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7191781 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature