Adaptative and Maladaptive Cognitive Processing of Trauma on Relationship Distress Among Community Couples

Trauma exposure is exceedingly common, with implications for both individual and couple functioning. How trauma-exposed individuals interpret or understand their traumatic experience can influence their beliefs about themselves and their romantic partners. This study examined the mediating role of maladaptive and adaptive approaches to cognitive processing of trauma (CPOT) on the association between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and relationship distress among 55 different-sex community couples. Results demonstrated a significant partner effect from male partners’ PTSS to their female partners’ relationship distress, suggesting greater male partners’ PTSS was associated with increased levels of female partners’ relationship distress. Different patterns emerged for maladaptive and adaptive CPOT. For maladaptive CPOT, male and female partners’ PTSS were negatively related to their own maladaptive CPOT, whereas in the adaptive CPOT model, this was only observed for male partners. Across models, CPOT did not significantly mediate the association between PTSS and relationship distress. Findings underscore the significance of considering one’s partner during trauma recovery, as an individual’s PTSS are linked with both their own and their partner’s perception of relationship distress. Considering female partners were particularly affected by their male partners’ PTSS, this study supports the importance of assigned sex differences when understanding the broader interpersonal impacts of trauma.