To Avoid or Not to Avoid?: The Impact of Experiential Avoidance on the Relation between Interpersonal  Trauma and Feelings of Depression

The experiences of interpersonal trauma can have long-lasting effects on multiple life domains including mental health. Literature suggests that the strength of this relation may be impacted by the amount of experiential avoidance individuals use. This study aims to examine the relation between interpersonal trauma and depressive feelings and the impact of experiential avoidance on this relation. This was investigated by means of online self-report questionnaires performed by 27 females with an average age of 46.26 (SD = 11.85). To measure whether participants experienced interpersonal trauma the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 was administered. Depression scores were assessed by means of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Experiential avoidance was measured with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire- II. Linear and multiple regression analyses were performed, and indicated that females who experienced interpersonal trauma score significantly higher on depression than females who...Show moreThe experiences of interpersonal trauma can have long-lasting effects on multiple life domains including mental health. Literature suggests that the strength of this relation may be impacted by the amount of experiential avoidance individuals use. This study aims to examine the relation between interpersonal trauma and depressive feelings and the impact of experiential avoidance on this relation. This was investigated by means of online self-report questionnaires performed by 27 females with an average age of 46.26 (SD = 11.85). To measure whether participants experienced interpersonal trauma the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 was administered. Depression scores were assessed by means of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Experiential avoidance was measured with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire- II. Linear and multiple regression analyses were performed, and indicated that females who experienced interpersonal trauma score significantly higher on depression than females who did not experience interpersonal trauma (p = .008, R 2 = .25). Findings of the multiple regression analysis indicate no significant interaction of interpersonal trauma and experiential avoidance (p = .614). However, experiential avoidance by itself was a significant predictor of depression (p =<0.01) and reduced the explanatory variance of interpersonal trauma. This possibly indicates a mediating effect of experiential avoidance on the relationship between interpersonal trauma and depression. Recommendations for future research is to investigate this possible mediating role of experiential avoidance on the relation between interpersonal trauma and depression. The current findings suggest that treatments 5 targeting greater experiential acceptance, possibly through peer support groups, might help victims of interpersonal trauma.Show less

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To Avoid or Not to Avoid? The Impact of Experiential Avoidance on the Relation between Interpersonal Trauma and Feelings of Depression