Investigating associations between emotion dysregulation and DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using network analysis.

Deficits in emotion regulation, termed emotion dysregulation, are critically linked to a range of psychiatric symptoms, including heightened risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous research suggests that effective emotion regulation can mitigate PTSD symptoms while emotion dysregulation may increase PTSD risk. Network analysis may be particularly useful for better understanding the co-occurrence of the two constructs because it provides insights into patterns of interconnections while accounting for the presence of each item in the network. The present study used network analysis to investigate the bridge associations between PTSD symptomology and dimensions of emotion dysregulation in a sample of 434 socioeconomically marginalized, trauma-exposed, primarily Black women (Mage = 41.65). Results of the network analysis revealed key nodes connecting PTSD and emotion dysregulation, identified lack of emotional clarity, impulse control difficulties, and difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior among emotion dysregulation dimensions, and anhedonia, difficulty concentrating, and negative emotions among PTSD symptoms as having the highest bridge expected influence in the network. These findings offer insights into potential symptoms to target which may be valuable for reducing distress related to PTSD and co-occurring emotion dysregulation, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nuanced associations between these conditions to enhance clinical outcomes.