Perceived Control and Adjustment to Trauma: A Comparison Across Events
Abstract
The relations among measures of perceived control and adjustment were assessed among women who had experienced a sexual assault ( n = 135) or sudden bereavement (n = 159) several years previously on average. Perceived control was assessed in terms of past, present, and future control over the trauma, and adjustment was assessed in terms of current symptoms of distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) and posttraumatic stress disorder, and life satisfaction. Levels of distress in both groups were higher than norm group means. The relations between control and adjustment differed across types of control and across events. Present control (i.e., control over the recovery process) was associated with better adjustment in both samples, across all adjustment measures, and after accounting for the effects of other variables (e.g., neuroticism). Past control over the trauma itself generally was unrelated to adjustment. Future control was associated with better adjustment only following sexual assault. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
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Having a higher degree of perceived control over posttrauma recovery has been associated with less posttraumatic distress and more posttraumatic adjustment.
“Empirically, having a higher degree of perceived control over posttrauma recovery has been associated with less posttraumatic distress (Frazier et al., 2005) and more posttraumatic adjustment (Frazier et al., 2004).”
From Feeling pressured to talk about trauma: How pressure to disclose alters the association between trauma disclosure and posttraumatic growth (2023) · cites this paper as Frazier et al., 2004
Cites
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Stress and parenting during the global COVID-19 pandemic
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Perceived past, present, and future control and adjustment to stressful life events
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Corticostriatal Circuits Encode the Subjective Value of Perceived Control
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- Authors
- Frazier, P., Steward, J., & Mortensen, H.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- ORCID
- Frazier, Patricia
- Venue
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2004-06
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 303-324
- ISSN
- 0736-7236 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2075853467
- Cited by
- 101
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 4.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
- Keywords
- perceived control, sexual assault, sudden bereavement, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, women, neuroticism
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