Dyadic trust as a mediator in the association between posttraumatic stress symptoms and relationship distress in community couples

Abstract

Background:

Trust is an important component in romantic relationships. However, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) can alter an individual’s appraisal of others resulting in difficulties with interpersonal trust. Indeed, prior literature has established associations between PTSS and trust, and relations between trust and relationship distress. Even so, there is a dearth of research examining the association between PTSS and trust specifically within ones’ romantic relationship as well as how dyadic trust may help explain the relation between PTSS and overall relationship distress.

Method:

This study examined a sample of 57 opposite-sex adult community couples where at least one partner had a lifetime history of trauma-exposure. Mediated actor-partner interdependence modeling (APIMeM) examined the intraindividual and interpersonal pathways in the association between PTSS and relationship distress as well as potential sex differences.

Results:

Findings demonstrated actor and partner effects between dyadic trust and relationship distress; however, males’ dyadic trust was only marginally associated with their female partners’ relationship distress. Sex differences were demonstrated in the relation between PTSS and dyadic trust whereby females’ dyadic trust was related to their own and their partners’ PTSS. There was a partner effect between females’ PTSS on their male partners’ relationship distress but not from males’ PTSS to females’ relationship distress. Finally, females’ dyadic trust was supported as a full mediator between PTSS and relationship distress for all pathways in the model.

Conclusion:

There is a unique effect of females’ dyadic trust on the relation of PTSS and relationship distress. Future directions and clinical implications are discussed.

Keywords

Couples dyadic trust posttraumatic stress symptoms relationship distress

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allen

E. S.

Rhoades

G. K.

Stanley

S. M.

Markman

H. J.

(2010). Hitting home: Relationships between recent deployment, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and marital functioning for Army couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(3), 280–288.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.

Anderson

Emmers-Sommer

(2006). Predictors of relationship satisfaction in online romantic relationships. Communication Studies, 57(2), 153–172.

Arriaga

Kumashiro

Finkel

VanderDrift

Luchies

(2014). Filling the void: Bolstering attachment security in committed relationships. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 5(4), 398–406.

Balderrama-Durbin

Snyder

D. K.

Balsis

(2015). Tailoring assessment of relationship distress using the Marital Satisfaction Inventory—Brief Form. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 4(3), 127–135.

Balderrama-Durbin

Snyder

D. K.

Cigrang

Talcott

G. W.

Tatum

Baker

Cassidy

Sonnek

Heyman

R. E.

Smith Slep

A. M.

(2013). Combat disclosure in intimate relationships: Mediating the impact of partner support on posttraumatic stress. Journal of Family Psychology, 27(4), 560–568.

Balderrama-Durbin

Wang

A. B.

Barden

Kennedy

Ergas

Poole

(2020). Reactivity and recovery in romantic relationships following a trauma analog: Examination of respiratory sinus arrhythmia in community couples. Manuscript in press.

Balliet

Van Lange

(2013). Trust, conflict, and cooperation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 139(5), 1090–1112.

Beam

C. R.

Marcus

Turkheimer

Emery

R. E.

(2018). Gender differences in the structure of marital quality. Behavior Genetics, 48(3), 209–223.

10.

Bell

Robinson

Katona

Fett

Shergill

(2019). When trust is lost: The impact of interpersonal trauma on social interactions. Psychological Medicine, 49(6), 1041–1046.

11.

Blais

R. K.

Renshaw

K. D.

(2014). Perceptions of partners’ attributions for depression in relation to perceptions of support and conflict in romantic relationships. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 40(4), 498–508.

12.

Blevins

C. A.

Weathers

F. W.

Davis

M. T.

Witte

T. K.

Domino

J. L.

(2015). The Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5): Development and initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 28(6), 489–498.

13.

Botsford

Steinbrink

Rimane

Rosner

Steil

Renneberg

(2019). Maladaptive post-traumatic cognitions in interpersonally traumatized adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder: An analysis of “stuck-points.” Cognitive Therapy and Research, 43(1), 284–294.

14.

Buyukcan-Tetik

Finkenauer

Kuppens

Vohs

K. D.

(2013). Both trust and self-control are necessary to prevent intrusive behaviors: Evidence from a longitudinal study of married couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 27(4), 671–676.

15.

Campbell

Simpson

J. A.

Boldry

J. G.

Rubin

(2010). Trust, variability in relationship evaluations, and relationship processes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(1), 14–31.

16.

Campbell

S. B.

Renshaw

K. D.

(2013). PTSD symptoms, disclosure, and relationship distress: Explorations of mediation and associations over time. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 27(5), 494–502.

17.

Campbell

S. B.

Renshaw

K. D.

(2018). Posttraumatic stress disorder and relationship functioning: A comprehensive review and organizational framework. Clinical Psychology Review, 65, 152–162.

18.

Camper

P. M.

Jacobson

N. S.

Holtzworth-Munroe

Schmaling

K. B.

(1988). Causal attributions for interactional behaviors in married couples. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 12(2), 195–209.

19.

Charuvastra

Cloitre

(2008). Social bonds and posttraumatic stress disorder. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 301–328.

20.

Chouliara

Karatzias

Gullone

Ferguson

Cosgrove

Burke Draucker

(2017). Therapeutic change in group therapy for interpersonal trauma: A relational framework for research and clinical practice. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(15–16), 2897–2916.

21.

Cloitre

Rosenberg

(2006). Sexual revictimization: Risk factors and prevention. In Follette

V. M.

Ruzek

J. I.

(Eds.), Cognitive-behavioral therapies for trauma (2nd ed., pp. 321–361). The Guilford Press.

22.

Contractor

A. A.

Weiss

N. H.

Natesan Batley

Elhai

J. D.

(2020). Clusters of trauma types as measured by the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. International Journal of Stress Management. Advance online publication.

23.

Coutts

J. J.

Hayes

A. F.

Jiang

(2019). Easy statistical mediation analysis with distinguishable dyadic data. Journal of Communication, 69(6), 1–38.

24.

Curran

Obeidat

Losardo

(2010). Twelve frequently asked questions about growth curve modeling. Journal of Cognition and Development, 11(2), 121–136.

25.

Dalgleish

Johnson

Burgess Moser

Lafontaine

Wiebe

Tasca

(2015). Predicting change in marital satisfaction throughout emotionally focused couple therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 41(3), 276–291.

26.

Ehlers

Clark

D. M.

(2000). A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38(4), 319–345.

27.

Fitzpatrick

Lafontaine

M.-F.

(2017). Attachment, trust, and satisfaction in relationships: Investigating actor, partner, and mediating effects. Personal Relationships, 24(3), 640–662.

28.

Fritz

MacKinnon

(2007). Required sample size to detect the mediated effect. Psychological Science, 18(3), 233–239.

29.

Givertz

Woszidlo

Segrin

Knutson

(2013). Direct and indirect effects of attachment orientation on relationship quality and loneliness in married couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(8), 1096–1120.

30.

Gottman

J. M.

(1993). A theory of marital dissolution and stability. Journal of Family Psychology, 7(1), 57–75.

31.

Hayes

A. F.

(2018). Partial, conditional, and moderated moderated mediation: Quantification, inference, and interpretation. Communication Monographs, 85, 4–40.

32.

Holmes

J. G.

Rempel

J. K.

(1989). Trust in close relationships. In Hendrick

(Ed.), Close relationships (pp. 187–220). SAGE Publications, Inc.

33.

Holtzworth-Munroe

Jacobson

N. S.

(1985). Causal attributions of married couples: When do they search for causes? What do they conclude when they do? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(6), 1398–1412.

34.

Johnson

S. M.

Whiffen

V. E.

(1999). Made to measure: Adapting emotionally focused couple therapy to partners’ attachment styles. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6(4), 366–381.

35.

Kessler

R. C.

Berglund

Demler

Jin

Merikangas

K. R.

Walters

E. E.

(2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602.

36.

Khalifian

C. E.

Barry

R. A.

(2016). Trust, attachment, and mindfulness influence intimacy and disengagement during newlyweds’ discussions of relationship transgressions. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(5), 592–601.

37.

Kiecolt-Glaser

J. K.

Newton

T. L.

(2001). Marriage and health: His and hers. Psychological Bulletin, 127(4), 472–503.

38.

Kim

(2013). Statistical notes for clinical researchers: Assessing normal distribution (2) using skewness and kurtosis. Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics, 38(1), 52–54.

39.

Kim

J. S.

Weisberg

Y. J.

Simpson

J. A.

Oriña

M. M.

Farrell

A. K.

Johnson

W. F.

(2015). Ruining it for both of us: The disruptive role of low-trust partners on conflict resolution in romantic relationships. Social Cognition, 33(5), 520–542.

40.

LaMotte

A. D.

Taft

C. T.

Weatherill

R. P.

(2016). Mistrust of others as a mediator of the relationship between trauma exposure and use of partner aggression. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 8(4), 535–540.

41.

Larzelere

R. E.

Huston

T. L.

(1980). The Dyadic Trust Scale: Toward understanding interpersonal trust in close relationships. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 42(3), 595–604.

42.

Lavner

J. A.

Karney

B. R.

Bradbury

T. N.

(2014). Relationship problems over the early years of marriage: Stability or change? Journal of Family Psychology, 28(6), 979–985.

43.

LeBlanc

N. J.

Dixon

Robinaugh

D. J.

Valentine

S. E.

Bosley

H. G.

Gerber

M. W.

Marques

(2016). PTSD and romantic relationship satisfaction: Cluster- and symptom-level analyses. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 29(3), 259–267.

44.

Ledermann

Macho

Kenny

D. A.

(2011). Assessing mediation in dyadic data using the actor-partner interdependence model. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18, 595–612.

45.

Lilly

M. M.

Valdez

C. E.

(2012). Interpersonal trauma and PTSD: The roles of gender and a lifespan perspective in predicting risk. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(1), 140–144.

46.

Macias

Young

Barreira

(2000). Loss of trust: Correlates of the comorbidity of PTSD and severe mental illness. Journal of Personal & Interpersonal Loss, 5(2/3), 103–123.

47.

MacIntosh

H. B.

Johnson

(2008). Emotionally focused therapy for couples and childhood sexual abuse survivors. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 34(3), 298–315.

48.

MacKinnon

Fairchild

Fritz

(2007). Mediation analysis. Annual Review of Psychology, 58(1), 593–614.

49.

Miller

P. J. E.

Rempel

J. K.

(2004). Trust and partner-enhancing attributions in close relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(6), 695–705.

50.

Monson

C. M.

Fredman

S. J.

Adair

K. C.

Stevens

S. P.

Resick

P. A.

Schnurr

P. P.

MacDonald

H. Z.

Macdonald

(2011). Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD: Pilot results from a community sample. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 24(1), 97–101.

51.

Monson

C. M.

Schnurr

P. P.

Stevens

S. P.

Guthrie

K. A.

(2004). Cognitive-behavioral couple’s treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: Initial findings. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17(4), 341–344.

52.

Rempel

J. K.

Holmes

J. G.

Zanna

M. P.

(1985). Trust in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49(1), 95–112.

53.

Rempel

J. K.

Ross

Holmes

J. G.

(2001). Trust and communicated attributions in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81(1), 57–64.

54.

Renshaw

K. D.

Allen

E. S.

Carter

S. P.

Markman

H. J.

Stanley

S. M.

(2014). Partners’ attributions for service members’ symptoms of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Behavior Therapy, 45(2), 187–198.

55.

Renshaw

K. D.

Campbell

S. B.

Meis

Erbes

(2014). Gender differences in the associations of PTSD symptom clusters with relationship distress in US Vietnam veterans and their partners. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 27(3), 283–290.

56.

Resick

P. A.

Schnicke

M. K.

(1992). Cognitive processing therapy for sexual assault victims. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60(5), 748–756.

57.

Resick

P. A.

Schnicke

M. K.

(1993). Cognitive processing therapy for rape victims: A treatment manual. SAGE Publications, Inc.

58.

Schneider

I. K.

Konijn

E. A.

Righetti

Rusbult

C. E.

(2011). A healthy dose of trust: The relationship between interpersonal trust and health. Personal Relationships, 18(4), 668–676.

59.

Schumm

W. R.

Bugaighis

M. A.

Buckler

D. L.

Green

D. N.

Scanlon

E. D.

(1985). Construct validity of the Dyadic Trust Scale. Psychological Reports, 56(3), 1001–1002.

60.

Shallcross

S. L.

Simpson

J. A.

(2012). Trust and responsiveness in strain-test situations: A dyadic perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 102(5), 1031–1044.

61.

Shrout

Bolger

(2002). Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 7(4), 422–445.

62.

Simpson

J. A.

(2007). Psychological foundations of trust. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(5), 264–268.

63.

Taft

C. T.

Murphy

C. M.

Creech

S. K.

(2016). Trauma-informed treatment and prevention of intimate partner violence. American Psychological Association.

64.

Weathers

F. W.

Litz

B. T.

Keane

T. M.

Palmieri

P. A.

Marx

B. P.

Schnurr

P. P.

(2013a). The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Scale available from the National Center for PTSD. https://www.ptsd.va.gov.

65.

Weathers

F. W.

Blake

D. D.

Schnurr

P. P.

Kaloupek

D. G.

Marx

B. P.

Keane

T. M.

(2013b). The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). Instrument available from the National Center for PTSD. https://www.ptsd.va.gov.

66.

Welch

Rivera

Conway

Yonkoski

Lupton

Giancola

(2005). Determinants and consequences of social trust. Sociological Inquiry, 75(4), 453–473.

67.

Wenninger

Ehlers

(1998). Dysfunctional cognitions and adult psychological functioning in child sexual abuse survivors. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 11(2), 281–300.

68.

Westphal

Olfson

Gameroff

M. J.

Wickramaratne

Pilowsky

D. J.

Neugebauer

Lantigua

Shea

Neria

(2011). Functional impairment in adults with past posttraumatic stress disorder: Findings from primary care. Depression and Anxiety, 28(8), 686–695.

69.

Whisman

M. A.

Beach

S. R. H.

Snyder

D. K.

(2008). Is marital discord taxonic and can taxonic status be assessed reliably? Results from a national, representative sample of married couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(5), 745–755.

70.

Whisman

M. A.

Snyder

D. K.

Beach

S. R. H.

(2009). Screening for marital and relationship discord. Journal of Family Psychology, 23(2), 247–254.

71.

Wiebe

Johnson

Burgess Moser

Dalgleish

Tasca

(2017). Predicting follow-up outcomes in emotionally focused couple therapy: The role of change in trust, relationship-specific attachment, and emotional engagement. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(2), 213–226.

72.

Wieselquist

(2009). Interpersonal forgiveness, trust, and the investment model of commitment. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26(4), 531–548.

73.

Woodward

M. J.

Beck

J. G.

(2017). Using the trauma film paradigm to explore interpersonal processes after trauma exposure. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(4), 445–452.