Event Centrality as a Mediator of the Relationship between Shame, Guilt and PTSD Symptoms

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore PTSD symptoms in the context of moral injury. More specifically, it examined whether shame and guilt are significantly associated with event centrality and PTSD symptoms and whether event centrality mediates the relationship between shame, guilt and PTSD symptoms. Event centrality is defined as the degree to which an event is seen as self-defining, how often one considers and thinks back to it, and also the degree to which it influences their interpretations of past and current experiences. The sample of this study consisted of 336 people with a mean age of 22.3 years. Participants responded to an online survey containing an emotional memory recall task, an event centrality questionnaire and a PTSD symptom questionnaire. The findings indicated a significant positive association between shame and guilt, and that event centrality fully mediated the association between shame and guilt and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions were: negative moral emotions may play a significant role as a mechanism behind PTSD symptoms following experience of PMIEs, although further research is encouraged to clarify this relationship. Subjective peritraumatic experiences should not be underestimated when attempting to predict PTSD symptoms following a PMIE.