Convergent evidence supports a crucial role for dysfunctional appraisals in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, most research in this area has used self-report measures, assessing only explicit forms of such negative cognitions; the relevance of their more automatically-activated counterparts, as assumed by cognitive models, remains relatively unexplored. The current study aimed to further our understanding of the potential utility of measuring automatic dysfunctional associations in the context of posttraumatic stress. The relationship between scores on two different implicit association tests (IATs) and posttraumatic stress symptoms was investigated in a sample of adults (N = 279) who reported having experienced a potentially traumatic negative life event. Participants completed the two IATs (one assessing self-traumatized associations, the other self-vulnerable associations), a self-report measure of dysfunctional appraisals, and measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms and other aspects of psychopathology online. Scores indicating higher levels of dysfunctional associations on both IATs were associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Only scores on the IAT measuring self-vulnerable associations, and not the IAT measuring self-traumatized associations, continued to show an association with posttraumatic stress symptoms after controlling for explicit dysfunctional appraisals. Overall, the results indicate the value of investigating PTSD-relevant automatic associations to further develop our understanding of cognitive processes implicated in posttraumatic stress.

一致的证据支持功能失调的评估在创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 的发展和维持中的关键作用。然而，该领域的大多数研究都使用自我报告措施，仅评估此类负面认知的外显形式；正如认知模型所假设的那样，它们更自动激活的对应物的相关性仍然相对未经探索。目前的研究旨在进一步了解在创伤后压力的背景下测量自动功能失调的潜在效用。在成人样本中研究了两种不同的内隐关联测试 (IAT) 的分数与创伤后应激症状之间的关系 ( N = 279) 谁报告经历了潜在的创伤性负面生活事件。参与者完成了两个 IAT（一个评估自我创伤的关联，另一个评估自我脆弱的关联），一个功能失调评估的自我报告测量，以及在线测量创伤后压力症状和精神病理学的其他方面。表明两种 IAT 功能障碍关联水平较高的分数与较高水平的创伤后应激症状相关。在控制了明确的功能障碍评估后，只有测量自我脆弱关联的 IAT 得分，而不是测量自我创伤关联的 IAT，继续显示出与创伤后应激症状的关联。总体，