Date of Graduation
Spring 2024
Degree
Master of Science in Psychology
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Dana Paliliunas
Abstract
Previous studies have found an inverse relationship between psychological flexibility and trauma symptom severity. However, most of these studies utilized a measure of psychological inflexibility called the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II). This is problematic as the validity of the AAQ-II has recently come into question. In addition, there is a growing question regarding whether psychological flexibility and inflexibility are really opposing ends of the same spectrum, or if they are related, but distinct concepts. Therefore, there is a potential issue in using the AAQ-II, a measure of inflexibility, to measure flexibility. The present study aims to evaluate the relationship between psychological flexibility and trauma symptom severity using a more valid measure of flexibility, examine the mediating role that psychological flexibility and/or inflexibility may have in the relationship between type of trauma and trauma symptom severity, assess the convergent validity of the AAQ-II, and explore the relationship between psychological flexibility and inflexibility. Findings suggest that there is a relationship between psychological flexibility and trauma symptom severity, as well as between inflexibility and trauma symptom severity. In fact, inflexibility was found to mediate the relationship between type of trauma and trauma symptom severity, although flexibility did not mediate this relationship. Additionally, results support the convergent validity of the AAQ-II. Finally, results support weak convergent validity between psychological flexibility and inflexibility, although this should be further explored in future studies.
Keywords
psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, AAQ-II, trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, acceptance and commitment therapy
Subject Categories
Clinical Psychology
Copyright
© Samantha G. Campbell
Recommended Citation
Campbell, Samantha G., "Exploring the Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility and Trauma Symptom Severity" (2024). MSU Graduate Theses. 3951.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3951
