PTSD Onset Susceptibility as a Function of Perceived Self-Efficacy and Resilience
Abstract
The interplay between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and self-efficacy lies in the efficacy-activated processes that comprise an individual’s cognitive and belief systems. Previous research shows that low self-efficacy contributes to development and maintenance of mental disorders like PTSD, while high self-efficacy influences ability to visualize, implement, and maintain success scenarios (resilience) related to effective mental coping. Negative cognition makes it difficult to pursue a coping success scenario in the presence of overriding self-doubt and often arises because a traumatic event has made it difficult to retrieve positive self-identities or has reactivated negative self-identities. Consistent with this model, the hypothesis put forward here, is that a negative association exists between self-efficacy level and PTSD susceptibility. A pre- post-test resilience questionnaire, containing vignettes designed to either raise or lower self-efficacy, revealed a significant interaction between low and high self-efficacy, supporting the that high self-efficacy guards against PTSD susceptibility.