Modelling the role of defense styles as mediating the relationship between trauma and posttraumatic stress severity in Danish adolescents

Abstract

This study aimed to test theoretical alternative models to explain the role of defense styles play in mediating the relationship between traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress severity. The data were collected from a survey based on a national representative probability sample of 390 Danish school children age 13 to 15. The survey included questions about demographic variables, traumatic events and life events, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, and the Defense Style Questionnaire. Based on these variables, three models were proposed that specified the relationship between trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress severity to be either (1) direct with no effect for defense styles, (2) fully mediated by defense styles, or (3) both direct and mediated. Structural equation modelling was used to fit each of the models and assess model fit. The fit for the combined direct and mediated model was acceptable, and was superior in explanatory power compared to the direct effect and the fully mediated models. The number of traumas experienced was positively and significantly related to all defense styles. The Neurotic and Immature defense style variables were positively and significantly related to posttraumatic stress severity.