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Linguistic predictors of trauma pathology and physical health
Author(s) -
AlvarezConrad Jennifer,
Zoellner Lori A.,
Foa Edna B.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/acp.839
Subject(s) - narrative , psychology , psychopathology , cognition , clinical psychology , mental health , intervention (counseling) , poison control , suicide prevention , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry , medicine , linguistics , medical emergency , philosophy
The present study examined how specific linguistic elements in trauma narratives were associated with post‐treatment psychopathology and physical symptoms. We analysed the narratives of 28 female assault victims being treated for chronic PTSD. During exposure therapy, participants were asked to recount their assault ‘as if it was happening now’. These trauma narratives were videotaped, transcribed, and analysed using a linguistic coding program. In particular, narratives containing words about death and dying were associated with worse post‐treatment functioning. This relationship could not be accounted for by assault‐related characteristics. The focus on death and dying in the trauma narrative may reflect the concept of mental defeat, suggesting a possible target for intervention in cognitive‐behavioural treatment of PTSD. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.