The Relationship Between Trauma Type, Coping Style, and Posttraumatic Symptomatology in Traumatized Adults

Objectives: Previous research has shown that interpersonal trauma is associated with higher rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms, with coping responses playing a vital role in individual differences in symptom presentation. The present online study examined differential associations between trauma type, coping styles, and trauma-related symptomatology to deepen understanding of variation in trauma-related symptomatology.Participants: The sample included N = 300 participants who reported a traumatic life event within the past 18 months, assessed with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). Study Method: Events were classified into interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma. Participants completed retrospective questions assessing posttraumatic coping strategies, current levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction.Findings: The present study reports secondary analyses. Correlational analyses within both trauma groups revealed positive relationships between avoidant coping and trauma-related symptoms. Group comparisons revealed higher levels of trauma-related symptoms, lower life satisfaction, and greater use of avoidant coping strategies following interpersonal compared to non-interpersonal trauma. Furthermore, avoidant coping predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms within both trauma groups, and trauma type itself significantly predicted symptoms across the entire sample. Finally, exploratory analyses showed that avoidant coping partially mediated the relationship between trauma type and posttraumatic stress symptoms.Conclusions: These findings underscore the important role of avoidant coping in the differential associations between trauma type and trauma-related symptoms. The results highlight potential targets for intervention and prevention efforts, particularly for individuals exposed to interpersonal trauma.