Post-traumatic Distress Following Physical and Social Stressors: A Comparison of Symptoms Networks

Abstract Objective Studies comparing post-traumatic distress (PTD) following physical and social stressors have primarily focused on the likelihood and severity of distress. We extend previous research by testing whether differences in PTD symptom networks are found for physical and social stressors diagnostically (using symptoms of PTSD) and trans-diagnostically (using symptom clusters from PTSD, depression, and social anxiety). Methods Participants included individuals with elevated levels of PTSD symptomatology who reported experiencing physical (n = 398) and social (n = 581) stressors. Symptom networks were analyzed to identify similarities and differences between the two stressor types. Replication analyses were conducted to verify previous findings, and transdiagnostic networks were examined to explore broader symptom interactions. Results The analysis replicated previously reported edges within the networks. Notably, while the global strength of the social stressors' symptom network exceeded that of physical stressors', the overall structure of the networks remained similar. However, significant differences emerged in the transdiagnostic networks, indicating distinct patterns of symptom interaction across stressor types. Conclusions These findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of how different stressors influence mental health. The observed similarities in symptom networks suggest common underlying mechanisms, while differences in transdiagnostic networks underscore the importance of considering broader symptom clusters in understanding event-activated psychopathology. This highlights the necessity of a transdiagnostic approach to comprehensively address the complexity of post-traumatic distress.