Cognitive model

Question 1

2 key processes

Answer 1

1. Differences in appraisal of trauma/sequelae
2. Difference in the nature of the memory and link to autobiographical memories

Question 2

Appraisal

Answer 2

Can range from external (overgeneralizing, overestimating likelihood of it happening again) to internal (eg seeing sexual arousal during rape as a repulsive desire, or something happening to you as your fault etc.)

The appraisal to following events can cause a sense of current threat:
- The fact that it happened (Nowhere is safe)
- Trauma happened to me (i attract disaster)
- Behaviour/emotions during (I deserved it)
- Reaction to initial PTSD symptoms
- Flashbacks (i’m going mad)
- Other people’s reactions
etc

initial PTSD symptoms are particularly predicting of PTSD. More vulnerable

Question 3

Enhancement of symptoms

Answer 3

The negative appraisal worsens symptoms;

• Directly produces negative emotions
• encourages dysfunctional coping (eg avoidance and thought suppression; only makes it worse)
• Other people don’t know how to deal with it and avoid topic
• Not allowing for rectification/habituation

some examples:
- Sense of danger leads to fear
- Violation of rules/norms leads to anger
- Responsibliity leads to guilt
- Violation internal norms lead to shame

Question 4

Current threat

Answer 4

Very typical for PTSD. involves
- Intrusions
- Arousal symptoms
- Strong emotions

Fear of something that happened in the past. Paridoxical, model tries to explain this. That makes this the center of the model. Explained by the way trauma is processed: negative appraisal of trauma/sequelae and nature of the trauma

Question 5

Nature of trauma memory characteristics

Answer 5

• Sensory/visual
• here-and-now quality, not a sense of time stamp like ‘normal’ memories have, sense of reliving
• Difficult to correct, fear is difficult to alter
• Affect withouth recollection: feeling uncomfortable, sense of doom, but don’t know why.
• Easily triggered; Learning theory, stimuli in environment become associated

Question 6

Encodering/storing the trauma-related info in memory

Answer 6

Several explanations, eg
- Incomplete/imperfect integraton with ABM (eg thourgh dissociation, intoxication etc)
- Strong S-S and S-R associations, (possibly evolutionairy, stronger memory of dangerous situations)
- Strong sensory priming for S’s (again, to prepare for possible

Question 7

Strategies intended to control threat/symptoms

Answer 7

Maladaptive coping, eg avoidance. the prevent the possibliity to change the negative appraisal/nature of trauma memory

Another is drug use, sleeping pills etc.

Trying hard not to think about it -> increase of intrusions

Question 8

Cognitive processing during trauma

Answer 8

happens very quickly, data driven vs conceptual. No time to think about what is happening, just registration of stimuli. The less you’re able to think during trauma, the