The impact of interpersonal traumas in Portuguese women’s psychological wellbeing: predictors of depression and post traumatic stress symptoms

Abstract

ABSTRACT The impact of child abuse history and adult rape on 302 Portuguese women’s emotional wellbeing was examined as well as the role of emotional regulation and social support in women’s resiliency. A cross-sectional study design was used with retrospective self-report of interpersonal traumas. Women who reported a history of interpersonal trauma also reported more depression and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms, and more difficulties in emotional regulation than those who reported no abuse history. Hierarchical linear regression showed that reporting a history of child abuse and lower perceived social support predicted depression symptoms. Having lower yearly income, reporting a history of child abuse, cumulative trauma, and lower perceived social support predicted PTSD symptoms. Social support and specific emotional regulation strategies such as cognitive reappraisal may be important constructs to be included in intervention programmes to promote resilience, decrease depression and PTSD symptoms and to buffer the cumulative impact of interpersonal traumas. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT Our results underline the need for long-term support, screening, and evidence-based follow-up care among women who were abused during childhood and that have cumulative trauma instances. A second implication addresses the role of perceived social support as a resiliency factor. Social support interventions that are effective at reducing psychological distress should be implemented in women who have been exposed to abuse. We can also speculate that addressing emotion regulation difficulties (e.g. teaching distress tolerance, awareness of emotions, emotional labelling, acceptance of strong emotions, strategies to manage strong emotions, among others) may be important for treatment purposes.