The Tension Between Cognitive and Regulatory Flexibility: Cognitive Flexibility is More Strongly Associated with Current PTSD Symptoms

In recent years, researchers have tried to unpack the meaning of the term flexibility and test how different constructs of flexibility are associated with various psychopathologies. For example, it is apparent that high levels of flexibility allow individuals to adaptively cope and avoid psychopathology following traumatic events, but the precise nature of this flexibility is ambiguous. In this study, we focus on two central constructs: cognitive flexibility – the ability to recognize and implement possible responses to a situation– and regulatory flexibility – the ability to modulate emotional expression and experience across situations. We aim to explore the connection between cognitive and regulatory flexibility and evaluate their relative effect on PTSD symptoms. Trauma-exposed college students (N = 109, M = 25.31, SD = 4.59) were assessed for cognitive and regulatory flexibility and current and lifetime PTSD symptoms. We predicted and found a relatively weak, yet significant, overlap between participants’ cognitive and regulatory flexibility. Importantly, while both cognitive and regulatory flexibility were associated with lifetime PTSD symptoms, only cognitive flexibility was associated with current PTSD symptoms. The findings illuminate the possible value of differentiating between constructs of flexibility in predicting PTSD symptoms, hinting at their mitigating effects on current versus lifetime PTSD symptoms.

近年来，研究者们致力于解析“灵活性”这一术语的内涵，并检验不同灵活性的结构如何与各种心理病理状态相关联。例如，显而易见的是，高水平的灵活性使得个体能够适应性地应对创伤事件，并规避心理病理状态，但此种灵活性的确切性质尚不明确。在本研究中，我们聚焦于两个核心结构：认知灵活性——识别和实施对某种情境可能的反应的能力——以及调节灵活性——调节情绪表达和体验以适应不同情境的能力。我们旨在探讨认知与调节灵活性之间的关系，并评估它们对创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状相对影响。对暴露于创伤事件的大学本科生（N = 109，平均年龄为25.31岁，标准差为4.59岁）进行了认知和调节灵活性以及当前和终身PTSD症状的评估。我们预测并发现，参与者的认知和调节灵活性之间存在相对较弱但显著的交叉。重要的是，虽然认知和调节灵活性均与终身PTSD症状相关，但只有认知灵活性与当前PTSD症状相关。这些发现揭示了在预测PTSD症状时区分灵活性结构可能具有的价值，暗示了它们对当前与终身PTSD症状缓解作用的差异。