Personality beliefs, coping strategies and quality of life in a cognitive-behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder - 10/11/19

Doi : 10.1016/j.ejtd.2019.100135

Delphine-Émilie Bourdon ^a,^b, Ghassan El-Baalbaki ^a,^b,⁎ , Dominic Beaulieu-Prévost ^a,^b,^c, Stéphane Guay ^b,^d, Geneviève Belleville ^b,^e, André Marchand ^a,^b
^a Department of psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
^b Trauma studies centre, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
^c Department of sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
^d Department of criminology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
^e School of psychology, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

^⁎Corresponding author at: Department of psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada.Department of psychology, université du Québec à MontréalC.P. 8888 succursale Centre-villeMontréalQuébecH3C 3P8Canada

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Abstract

Introduction

Studies have shown that, following psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms and quality of life (QoL) may improve in many patients, but not always to the same extent. Dysfunctional core beliefs, such as personality beliefs (PB), are associated to psychopathology, including PTSD, and could be associated with the types of coping strategies deployed by an individual. Beliefs and coping strategies were also linked to psychotherapeutic outcomes.

Objectives

(1) To examine the associations between baseline PB as well as pre- and post-treatment coping strategies; (2) To investigate the mediation effects between PB and the changes in QoL, through changes in coping strategies in a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy (CBT).

Method

Seventy-one adults with PTSD participating in a correlational/observational CBT study were assessed for PB before a CBT, as well as for coping strategies and QoL, before and after a CBT.

Results

PB were generally associated with post-treatment distancing coping. Moreover, changes in distancing coping mediated the relationships between avoidant or dependent PB and psychological QoL improvements.

Conclusion

This is the first study to show the relationships between PB and coping strategies in PTSD patients, and that higher avoidant or dependent PB predicts a lower reduction in the use of distancing coping through psychotherapy, which is associated with less improvement in psychological QoL. Future studies are needed to further define the role of these variables and target more precisely factors that may hamper the treatment effects of CBT for PTSD.

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Keywords : Posttraumatic stress disorder, Personality beliefs, Coping strategies, Quality of life, Cognitive-behavioral therapy