Posttraumatic Mental Contamination and the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide: Effects via DSM-5 PTSD Symptom Clusters

Abstract

Research has yet to establish a relationship between posttraumatic mental contamination and suicide risk, despite theoretical overlap. The present study examined relationships between posttraumatic mental contamination and suicide risk via posttraumatic stress symptom clusters and appraisals of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Trauma-exposed participants (N = 183) completed measures of posttraumatic mental contamination, posttraumatic stress symptoms, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicide risk. Findings revealed significant indirect effects of posttraumatic mental contamination on suicide risk via all posttraumatic stress symptom clusters. Significant serial indirect effects of posttraumatic mental contamination on suicide risk were observed via posttraumatic avoidance and arousal/reactivity and, subsequently, via thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. Serial models via posttraumatic re-experiencing and negative cognitions/mood symptoms were nonsignificant. Results suggest that posttraumatic mental contamination may increase suicide risk via posttraumatic stress symptom severity, and maladaptive interpersonal appraisals may explain these links through distinct symptom pathways. Implications for posttraumatic suicide risk are discussed.

Main and interactive effects of negative posttraumatic cognitions and disgust sensitivity in predicting daily experiences of sexual trauma-related mental contamination.

“…Most of the research on sexual trauma-related mental contamination has been limited to samples of women, highlighting the need to expand gender representation within this line of research. Second, these results focus on mental contamination specifically arising following sexual trauma; however, there is preliminary evidence to suggest that mental contamination may also arise following other traumatic experiences involving moral violations or betrayal (Brake et al, 2018, 2019; Ojserkis et al, 2018) and underlying etiological and maintaining processes may differ following different types of experiences. Thus, further examination of the nature and trajectory of mental contamination following other trauma types is warranted.…”

“…Among survivors of sexual trauma, trauma-related mental contamination has increasingly been identified as a potential source of distress and impairment, has been linked to deleterious outcomes such as suicidal ideation and risk behaviors, has been linked to more severe PTSD symptoms, and has been proposed as a potential treatment target that could enhance progress in PTSD treatment (Badour et al, 2013; Brake et al, 2019; Brake et al, 2018; Jung & Steil, 2012, 2013; Olatunji et al, 2008; Steil et al, 2011; Tipsword et al, 2022). Better understanding factors that contribute to persistent trauma-related mental contamination could inform future efforts to successfully identify and target trauma-related mental contamination clinically.…”

“…The PEMC items exhibited strong reliability (α = .92) in the current study. Further, the PEMC has demonstrated strong convergent validity when compared to the VOCI-MC in samples experiencing current PTSD symptoms (Brake et al, 2019). Current sexual trauma-related mental contamination was defined as having a total PEMC severity score of 10 or greater, which was based on the cut score guidelines for the VOCI-MC (Coughtrey et al, 2014).…”

“…Trauma-Related Mental Contamination. The Posttraumatic Experience of Mental Contamination scale (PEMC; Brake et al, 2019) was used to assess current experiences of sexual traumarelated mental contamination. This 20-item questionnaire was developed from the Vancouver Obsessional Compulsive Inventory-Mental Contamination scale (VOCI-MC; Radomsky et al, 2014).…”

“…These findings suggest that distress associated with experiences of trauma-related mental contamination and behavioral efforts to mitigate that distress can endure for months or even years after sexual trauma. In addition to being distressing and impairing in its own right, persistent trauma-related mental contamination has been linked to suicidal ideation and risk behaviors, has been consistently linked to higher PTSD symptom severity, has been proposed as a potential maintenance factor for PTSD symptoms, and has been forwarded as a potential target to enhance treatment for PTSD among survivors of sexual trauma (Badour et al, 2013; Brake et al, 2019; Brake et al, 2018; Olatunji et al, 2008; Jung & Steil, 2012, 2013; Steil et al, 2011; Tipsword et al, 2022).…”