The role of childhood trauma, time perspective and experiential avoidance on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Applying of Structural Equation Modeling

Background & aim: Given the likelihood of recurrence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the inadequacy of therapeutic approaches in the lasting recovery of symptoms of this disorder, the precise identification of the factors involved in initiating and maintaining PTSD is very important. Time perspectives can be considered as another conceptualization applied recently for study on PTSD, and a few studies have been conducted to apply a therapeutic model based on this conceptualization to treat PTSD, and also Preliminary studies indicate a significant relationship between time perspective and PTSD symptoms. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the intermediate role of time perspective and experiential avoidance in the relationship between childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms. Methods: The subjects of this descriptive-cross-sectional research were 131 patients with PTSD (72 females and 59 males) who were seeking treatment at the health centers of Shiraz in spring, summer, autumn and winter of 2018-2019, which were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the Structured Interview for Axis I and II disorders (SCID). The PTSD Checklist —5 (PCL-5), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II (AAQ-II) were used. Data were analyzed with the structural equation modeling (SEM) in Amos software (23-ver). Results: The results showed that the proposed model was well fitted (CFI = 0.95, GFI = 0.92, TLI= 0.93, IFI = 0.95, NFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.07), and all of the direct and indirect path coefficients were significant at the alpha level of 0.01. So that time perspective and experiential avoidance significantly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: Altogether, results of this study were consistent with Time Perspective Theory for PTSD and also the findings of this study suggest that it is necessary to consider the role of childhood trauma, experimental avoidance and time perspective in treatment protocols for people with PTSD.