Exploring meaning in life as a potential target for early intervention – results from a randomized trauma analogue study

Background: Previous studies in individuals exposed to stressors, including traumatic ones, have shown inverse relations between life meaning and distress. Furthermore, meaning-related treatments can benefit (traumatic) stressor-exposed individuals. However, the evidence regarding the effect of life meaning interventions on PTSD symptoms is limited. Moreover, early post-stressor interventions preventing distress are needed. This study investigated the effects of a short, online life meaning intervention after an analogue traumatic stressor on intrusions and anxiety following the intervention, intrusions over a week, and explored distress and life meaning differences after a week.
Method: Following an analogue traumatic stressor (i.e. an aversive film), N = 237 participants were randomized to a life meaning intervention, an active or inactive control condition. Participants completed questionnaires in the laboratory, in an online seven-day diary, and at one-week follow-up.
Results: The intervention resulted in significantly lower post-intervention state anxiety and higher life meaning, but not significantly less severe wait-period intrusions than the control conditions. Intrusions in the subsequent week as well as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and life meaning after a week did not significantly differ between the conditions.
Conclusion: This intervention showed promising temporary effects on anxiety and life meaning after a trauma analogue, but no significant longer-term effects and no effects on PTSD symptoms including intrusions. Meaning-related interventions for PTSD target stressor-related meaning-making rather than life meaning. Thus, future studies may benefit from implementing more intense interventions to extend effects on general distress, as well as stressor-addressing meaning interventions to elicit stressor-related meaning-making.

Meaning in life may counteract psychological distress in the context of (traumatic) stressors.
The current study investigated the effect of a short life meaning intervention on psychological distress after an analogue traumatic stressor.
Compared to control conditions, individuals who received the life meaning intervention reported greater state meaning in life and lower state anxiety. However, the intervention did not result in significantly less severe intrusions.

Meaning in life may counteract psychological distress in the context of (traumatic) stressors.
The current study investigated the effect of a short life meaning intervention on psychological distress after an analogue traumatic stressor.
Compared to control conditions, individuals who received the life meaning intervention reported greater state meaning in life and lower state anxiety. However, the intervention did not result in significantly less severe intrusions.

背景：过往针对暴露于包括创伤性应激源在内的各类应激源的个体开展的研究均表明，生命意义感（life meaning）与心理痛苦呈负相关关系。此外，与意义相关的干预手段可使暴露于（创伤性）应激源的个体获益。然而，目前关于生命意义感干预对创伤后应激障碍（Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD）症状影响的相关证据仍较为有限。同时，学界亟需能够在应激事件发生后早期开展的、可预防心理痛苦的干预措施。本研究旨在探究：在模拟创伤性应激源（analogue traumatic stressor）暴露后实施的简短在线生命意义感干预，对干预后即刻的闯入性思维（intrusions）与焦虑情绪、以及为期一周随访期间的闯入性思维的影响，并分析干预一周后个体心理痛苦与生命意义感的变化差异。
方法：本研究采用模拟创伤性应激源（即一段令人不适的影片）对被试进行暴露处理，共招募237名参与者，将其随机分配至生命意义感干预组、主动对照组（active control condition）与被动对照组（inactive control condition）。所有参与者需在实验室完成基础问卷调研，同时完成为期7天的在线日记随访，并在干预后1周进行随访测评。
结果：相较于对照组，生命意义感干预组在干预后即刻的状态焦虑（state anxiety）水平显著更低，生命意义感得分显著更高，但两组间的等待期闯入性思维严重程度并未出现显著差异。在干预后一周的随访中，两组被试的后续一周闯入性思维、抑郁、焦虑、创伤后应激障碍症状及生命意义感得分均无显著差异。
结论：本研究表明，该干预手段在模拟创伤事件后对个体的焦虑情绪与生命意义感展现出了具有前景的短期效应，但未观察到显著的长期效应，同时也未对包括闯入性思维在内的创伤后应激障碍症状产生显著影响。针对创伤后应激障碍的意义相关干预，其靶向目标应为与应激源相关的意义建构，而非一般性的生命意义感。因此，未来的研究可考虑采用强度更高的干预手段以强化其对一般性心理痛苦的干预效应，同时可结合针对应激源的意义干预手段，以激发个体对应激源相关的意义建构过程。
生命意义感可在（创伤性）应激源情境中缓解心理痛苦。
本研究探究了简短生命意义感干预对模拟创伤性应激源暴露后个体心理痛苦的影响。
相较于对照组，接受生命意义感干预的个体报告了更高的状态生命意义感与更低的状态焦虑水平，但该干预并未显著降低闯入性思维的严重程度。
生命意义感可在（创伤性）应激源情境中缓解心理痛苦。
本研究探究了简短生命意义感干预对模拟创伤性应激源暴露后个体心理痛苦的影响。
相较于对照组，接受生命意义感干预的个体报告了更高的状态生命意义感与更低的状态焦虑水平，但该干预并未显著降低闯入性思维的严重程度。