[Trauma, Resilience, and Emotion Regulation].

Background

History of childhood abuse and neglect is considered to be a relevant risk factor for adult psychopathology. A functional emotion regulation (ER) can account for resilience despite of traumatic experiences in childhood. Materials &

Methods

This study compares the habitual use of specific ER strategies among mentally healthy individuals with (n=61) and without (n=52) experience of childhood abuse and neglect by using the self-rating instrument Heidelberg Form for Emotion Regulation Strategies (H-FERST). SCID-I, ADP-IV, SCL-27, and BDI-II were used for assessment of psychopathological distress.

Results

We found no group difference in the habitual use of ER strategies. Healthy individuals with childhood abuse and neglect showed significantly more subjective distress symptoms. Discussion &

Conclusion

Considering the significantly higher psychopathological distress reported by the trauma group, the functional habitual use of ER strategies could serve as a path to explain the resilient development of adult individuals after childhood abuse and neglect.