Investigation of the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Growth levels and the moderating role of the time since trauma in these relationships

A traumatic life event is an event that leads to various changes in an individual and can change their reactions in the short and long term. After a traumatic life event, symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress (PTS) and Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) can be observed. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) in the relationship between posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth, as well as the moderating role of time elapsed since the trauma in these relationships. Additionally, the relationships of PTS, PTG, and CERS with demographic variables, and the differences in correlation between CERS and PTS/PTG were examined. The sample of the study consisted of 305 participants over the age of 18 who reported a traumatic experience. In this context, participants were administered a Demographic Information Form, Posttraumatic Stress Diagnosis Scale-5, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale, and Posttraumatic Growth Scale. As a result, in the High PTG Group, a negative relationship was found between PTS and PTG. Also positive refocusing and positive reappraisal strategies from CERS were found to have a full mediating role in the relationship between PTS and PTG. It was found that the time elapsed since the trauma did not have a moderating role in these relationships. Strategies named acceptance, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others strategies were found to be more related to PTS, while strategies named positive refocusing, refocusing on planning, and positive reappraisal were found to be more related to PTG in the High PTG Group. Significant relationships were observed between PTS, PTG, CERS, and various demographic variables. The findings of the study were discussed in the scope of the literature, and the limitations of the study, clinical implications, and suggestions for future studies were stated.