The role of emotion dysregulation in the association between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among veterans.

Abstract

Although research has established a link between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), little is known about factors that may accentuate this relation. This study evaluated the influences of negative and positive emotion dysregulation on the association between PTSD symptoms and STBs among veterans. Four-hundred and sixty-five trauma-exposed military veterans in the community (M age = 38.00, 71.4% male, 69.5% White) completed online questionnaires. Negative emotion dysregulation did not moderate the relation between PTSD symptoms and STBs. Results showed significant interactive effects of PTSD symptoms and positive emotion dysregulation on STBs, such that PTSD symptoms were more strongly related to STBs at high (vs. low) levels of positive emotion dysregulation. This effect was sustained across domains of positive emotion dysregulation. Findings suggest a potential need to consider positive emotion dysregulation in the assessment and treatment of STBs among veterans with PTSD symptoms.