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，研究者们尝试厘清“灵活性”这一术语的内涵，并检验不同构念的灵活性与各类精神病理症状之间的关联。例如，显而易见，高水平的灵活性能够帮助个体在创伤事件后适应性地应对困境、规避精神病理问题，但此类灵活性的具体本质仍尚不明确。本研究聚焦于两大核心构念：认知灵活性（cognitive flexibility）——即识别并执行情境下可行应对方式的能力——与调节灵活性（regulatory flexibility）——即跨情境调节情绪表达与情绪体验的能力。本研究旨在探索认知灵活性与调节灵活性之间的关联，并评估二者对创伤后应激障碍（Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder，简称PTSD）症状的相对影响。研究招募了109名曾暴露于创伤事件的大学生（样本量N=109，平均年龄M=25.31，标准差SD=4.59），对其认知灵活性、调节灵活性以及当前与终身性PTSD症状进行了评估。我们预先假设参与者的认知灵活性与调节灵活性之间存在微弱但显著的重叠，该假设得到了验证。重要的是，尽管认知灵活性与调节灵活性均与终身性PTSD症状存在关联，但仅有认知灵活性与当前PTSD症状显著相关。本研究结果表明，在预测PTSD症状时，区分不同构念的灵活性具有潜在价值，同时也暗示了二者对当前与终身性PTSD症状的缓解作用存在差异。