Investigating the Relationships among Attention, Working Memory, and Intrusions in Interpersonal Trauma Survivors

• Main Authors: Po-Jung Chen, 陳柏融
• Other Authors: Sue-Huei Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/79264626191782986452

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 心理學研究所 === 103 === OBJECTIVE: It has been proposed that both attention disengagement difficulty and inhibitory function impairment play important roles in the maintenance of intrusive symptoms in PTSD. However, there is still no research empirically investigating the concurrent association among attentional control, working memory capacity, and trauma-related intrusions. This study aimed to investigate the aforementioned issue. METHOD and RESULTS: In examining the question, three studies were conducted. Study 1 aimed to construct the psychometric properties of the Traditional Chinese version of Attentional Control Scale. Four hundred and twelve participants were recruited. Results showed that, after deleting one item via item-total correlation analysis, the Traditional Chinese version of Attentional Control Scale showed good internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. In exploratory factor analysis, we found that two-factor structure, i.e., attentional focusing and attentional shifting, was the best solution. Moreover, good criterion-related validity was indicated by significant negative correlations between the total score of attentional control scale and depressive symptoms and trait anxiety. In Study 2, in order to investigate the associations among attentional control, working memory capacity, and intrusions, we recruited 118 participant who had experienced at least an interpersonal trauma event via Internet advertisement or psychological course requirement. They were asked to complete attentional control scale, posttraumatic stress diagnostic scale, and an automated computerized working memory task (i.e., operation span task). Results showed that working memory capacity was negatively related to all subclusters of PTSD symptoms, while attentional control showed no significant correlation with any subcluster of PTSD symptoms. Moreover, attentional control was found to moderate the relationship between working memory capacity and trauma-related intrusions. For those with high attentional control, higher working memory capacity was correlated with less intrusions. However, for those with low attention control, working memory capacity was not related with intrusions. In Study 3, participants were those who have taken part in Study 2 except 18 participants who could not follow the instruction. Therefore, 100 participants were obtained in Study 3. They were randomly assigned to two different attentional training groups, i.e., attention vigilance group and attention avoidance group, in order to investigate the potential effect of attention bias on trauma-related intrusions. Results showed that, first, there was no significant correlation between attention bias score and all subclusters of PTSD symptoms. Second, through attention training manipulation, we found that it was easier to train participants to show attention vigilance than to show attention avoidance. Through attention bias manipulation, both groups show significant reduction of trauma-related intrusions. However, there were no significant group difference on intrusions. Discussions: Based on the above findings, the present thesis will discuss the associations among attention, working memory capacity, and intrusions with the viewpoint of attention disengagement and inhibitory function. Possible applications, clinical implications, limitations and future direction are further discussed.