Experiential acceptance and trait-mindfulness as predictors of analogue post-traumatic stress

Abstract

Objectives

Experiential acceptance and trait‐mindfulness are associated with post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traumatic events. This study was a preliminary attempt to examine (1) associations of experiential acceptance and trait‐mindfulness with post‐traumatic stress (PTS) associated with negative, but not necessarily traumatizing, life events (‘analogue’ PTS), (2) the role of these variables in the context of neuroticism as well as worry and rumination – two other regulatory strategies associated with PTS, and (3) the impact of pre‐trauma tendencies towards experiential acceptance and mindfulness on analogue PTS.

Design

Data were obtained from two distinct student samples. A first sample provided cross‐sectional data. In a second sample, indices of acceptance, mindfulness, neuroticism, worry, and rumination were tapped at inclusion into the study, and analogue PTS and confrontation with stressful life events were subsequently assessed 1 year later.

Results

In the cross‐sectional sample, higher acceptance and mindfulness were associated with lower analogue PTS, even when controlling for neuroticism, worry, and rumination. In the prospective sample, pre‐trauma mindfulness (but not experiential acceptance, neuroticism, worry, and rumination) assessed at baseline predicted levels of analogue PTS 1 year later.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that experiential acceptance and trait‐mindfulness are incrementally related to PTS beyond neuroticism, worry, and rumination and that pre‐trauma trait‐mindfulness may be a resilience factor protecting against severe PTS.

Practitioner points

We examined associations of experiential acceptance and trait‐mindfulness with post‐traumatic stress (PTS) associated with negative life events (‘analogue’ PTS).

Experiential acceptance and trait‐mindfulness were associated with concurrent analogue PTS, over and above neuroticism, worry, and rumination.

Pre‐trauma trait‐mindfulness (but not pre‐trauma experiential acceptance) significantly predicted analogue PTS in prospective analyses.

Enhancing mindfulness skills could be a useful tool to reduce the risk of PTS in trauma‐exposed samples.