Emotional lability and affective synchrony in posttraumatic stress disorder pathology

Abstract

This study examined the relations of PTSD pathology to both the lability of three specific emotions (anxiety, anger, self-conscious emotions [SCE]) and the extent to which changes in one emotional state co-occur with changes in another emotional state (i.e. affective synchrony). Moreover, given evidence that emotional responding in PTSD may be heightened in response to trauma-related cues, these relations were explored in the context of a trauma cue versus neutral cue. Trauma-exposed patients in residential substance use disorder treatment (N=157) completed a diagnostic interview and two laboratory sessions involving presentation of neutral and individualized trauma scripts. State anxiety, anger, and SCE were assessed at five points throughout each laboratory session. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that participants (regardless of PTSD status) exhibited greater lability of all emotions following the trauma script versus neutral script. Only anger lability was elevated among those with (versus without) a current PTSD diagnosis following the neutral script. Results also revealed synchrony (i.e., positive covariation) between each possible pair of emotions, regardless of PTSD status. Findings suggest that concurrent changes in anxiety and anger may be especially relevant to PTSD symptom severity.

Keeping Emotions in Mind: The Influence of Working Memory Capacity on Parent-Reported Symptoms of Emotional Lability in a Sample of Children With and Without ADHD

“…However, the children with ADHD showed poorer WM capacity on the LNS (and the SS) and a higher frequency of parent-reported EL symptoms than the TDC, indicating that the inverse relationship between EL symptoms and WM capacity may be more significant for their everyday functioning than for the group of TDC. Future studies may therefore want to investigate whether this holds true in other populations with elevated levels of EL, such as in children with anxiety disorders ( Maire et al, 2017 ) and in adults with bipolar disorders ( Phillips et al, 2003 ), borderline personality disorder ( Schoenleber et al, 2016 ) and post-traumatic stress disorder ( Schoenleber et al, 2018 ). Interestingly, in the current study, neither age nor gender affected the relationship between WM capacity as measured with the LNS and the level of parent-reported EL.…”

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Design of a Mobile Ecological Momentary Assessment for High-Risk Men Who Have Sex With Men in Hanoi, Vietnam: Qualitative Study

“…This decision was motivated by our scientific interest in understanding the dynamic interactions between PTSD and HIV-related risk-taking behaviors. Specifically, one of the features of PTSD is emotional lability or intense, unpredictable, and frequent shifts in emotional experience [ 64 ]. Emotional lability can hinder social relationships and functioning and contribute toward risk-taking behaviors.…”

Affective lability moderates the associations between negative and positive urgency and posttraumatic stress.

“…Although the overall intensity and frequency of negative and positive emotional experiences are important to consider when examining the link between urgency and PTSD symptoms, it is also possible that frequent fluctuations between emotion states may be important. Affective lability is defined as the tendency to experience frequent and intense shifts in emotional states (Oliver & Simons, 2004), and research has demonstrated that affective lability is positively associated with PTSD symptoms among trauma-exposed individuals (Dutton et al, 2016; Marshall-Berenz et al, 2011; Schoenleber et al, 2018). Some hypothesize that rapid fluctuations in emotion states may be perceived by individuals as uncontrollable and unpredictable (Dutton et al, 2016), which may lead to increased efforts to avoid emotional experiences, preventing exposure to trauma-related cues and maintaining PTSD symptoms (Foa & Kozak, 1986; Tull et al, 2007).…”