Skip to main content
Kent State University Home

Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

  • About
    • About
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Rights and Reuse
  • Browse
    • Authors
    • Collections
    • Communities
    • Subjects
  • Login

Does Trauma Exposure Lead to More In-depth Processing of Daily Information?

  1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Conferences & Events
  3. Undergraduate Research Symposium
  4. 2016 - Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
  5. Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
  6. Does Trauma Exposure Lead to More In-depth Processing of Daily Information?
File
Author(s)
  • Anna M. DiBlasio
  • Abigail Harrah
  • Curtis Coulter
  • Erin Pavlic
Abstract

Title: Does Trauma Exposure Lead to More In-depth Processing of Daily Information?

Anna DiBlasio, Abigail Harrah, Curtis Coulter, and Erin Pavlic

Most people experience some traumatic event in their lifetime, such as sudden loss of a loved-one, a life-threatening illness or violent crime. This study assesses whether individuals’ lifetime trauma exposure is related to (a) the tendency to process information in-depth on a daily basis, (b) reports of posttraumatic growth, and (c) physical and mental health. Participants were 82 General Psychology students (84% Caucasian; 77% female; mean age 23.75, SD = 8.10) attending a large state university in northeastern Ohio. Lifetime trauma exposure was assessed using the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (Kubany et al., 2000; e.g., “Have you experienced the sudden and unexpected death of a close friend or loved one?”); participants’ tendency to process information in-depth on a daily basis was assessed using the Need for Cognition scale (Cacioppo et al., 1984; e.g., “The notion of thinking abstractly is appealing to me.”); posttraumatic growth was assessed using a scale of personal growth (Frazier et al., 2009; e.g., “I appreciate each day.”); and physical and mental health were assessed using a modified version of the SF-12 Health Survey (Ware et al., 1996; e.g., “In general, how would you rate your health?”). All scales had good reliability (alphas ranged from .69 to .91). Results indicated that more than 90% of the individuals in this sample reported experiencing at least one traumatic lifetime event (range = 0 to 13 events; mean number of events = 4.15, SD = 2.78). Pearson correlations revealed that the experience of a higher number of traumatic events was associated with a greater need for cognition (r = .22, p = .049), the need for cognition was associated with more personal growth (r = .27, p = .016), and more personal growth was associated with better mental health (r = .35, p = .001). Taken together, these findings suggest that although some individuals may process daily information at more of a superficial level, adjustment to trauma may lead individuals to process information in more depth on a daily basis. Moreover, this in-depth processing of information may lead to more personal growth and better mental health. These findings highlight avenues of possible future research centered on treatment for individuals having a difficult time adjusting to traumatic life events, with an emphasis on encouraging in-depth thinking about their experiences.

Format
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2016-03-15
Contributor(s)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Patricia Tomich
Subject
  • Psychology
Modified Abstract

Most people experience some traumatic event in their lifetime, such as sudden loss of a loved-one or violent crime. This study assesses relations between trauma exposure, the tendency to process information in-depth on a daily basis, reports of posttraumatic growth, and physical and mental health (n = 82; mean age = 23.75). Correlations indicated that the experience of more traumatic events was associated with more in-depth processing, in-depth processing was associated with more personal growth, and more personal growth was associated with better mental health (all r’s > .22; all p’s < .05). These findings highlight avenues of possible future research centered on treatment for individuals having a difficult time adjusting to traumatic events, with an emphasis on encouraging in-depth thinking about their experiences.

Download full text 8.34KB
  • Group biosketch - 2016.docx
  • group photo for 2016 research.jpg
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
Open Access Kent State
University Libraries

Street Address

1125 Risman Dr.
Kent, OH 44242

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242-0001

Contact Us

  • oaks [at] kent [dot] edu

Quick Links

  • About
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Rights and Reuse

Information

  • Accessibility
  • Annual Security Reports
  • Emergency Information
  • For Our Alumni
  • For the Media
  • Health Services
  • Jobs & Employment
  • May 4th, 50th Commemoration
  • Privacy Statement
  • Website Feedback
Kent State University Home
© 2021 Kent State University All rights reserved.