Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms in Later Life

Aim of the study: To investigate the importance and relative contribution of interpersonal and intra-individual factors, including lifetime trauma exposure, emotion regulation, social group belonging and socioeconomic deprivation in predicting PTSD symptoms in older adults. Primary research questions: 1. Will greater lifetime trauma exposure predict higher levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? 2. Will greater difficulties in emotion regulation predict higher levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? 3. Will a lower number of group identifications predict higher levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? 4. Will higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation predict higher levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? Secondary research questions: 1. What is the relative contribution of lifetime trauma exposure in predicting levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? 2. What is the relative contribution of difficulties in emotion regulation in predicting levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? 3. What is the relative contribution of group identifications in predicting levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? 4. What is the relative contribution of socioeconomic deprivation in predicting levels of PTSD symptoms in older adults? Design: The study will employ a cross-sectional, within-groups design. An opportunistic clinical sample of older adults, aged 65 and over, in receipt of psychological treatment for PTSD, anxiety or depression in the Older People Psychological Therapies Service in NHS Tayside will be recruited. Participants will be asked to provide basic demographic information and to complete five measures, screening for cognitive impermanent and measuring PTSD symptoms, lifetime trauma exposure, emotion regulation and group identification. Correlation and multiple regression analyses will be used to answer the research hypotheses.