A mixed‐methods analysis of survivors’ motives for “self‐triggering” with trauma reminders

Many individuals feel compelled to seek reminders of trauma that produce distress outside of a therapeutic context (i.e., "self-trigger"). To better understand this behavior, we examined and categorized the motives behind self-triggering by qualitatively analyzing the free responses of 355 participants to the question, "In your own words, why do you self-trigger?" In Study 1, researchers determined whether previously identified motives could be reliably coded. In Study 2, a separate group of researchers identified motives inductively, without knowledge of the a priori motives. Most a priori motives were reliably identified in Study 1, and both studies revealed a range of additional motives. Across both studies, the most prevalent motives included determining the meaning of one's traumatic event, self-punishment, and efforts to validate one's identity as a trauma survivor. Validation was consistently associated with more frequent self-triggering, Study 1: δ_Cliff = -.19, 95% CI [-.35, -.02]; Study 2: δ_Cliff = -.19, 95% CI [-.32, -.05], whereas the desire to avoid emotional numbness, Study 1: δ_Cliff = .21, 95% CI [.02, .39], or seek arousal, Study 2: δ_Cliff = .22, 95% CI [.06, .37], were associated with less frequent self-triggering. Motives categorized as "unknown" were also associated with less frequent self-triggering, Study 1: δ_Cliff = .35, 95% CI [.08, .56]; Study 2 δ_Cliff = .35, 95% CI [.08, .56]. The findings suggest motives for self-triggering are diverse and may serve different functions-cognitive, interpersonal, moral, physiological, or sexual-depending on the individual, with implications for conceptualizing trauma-related emotional regulation and behavioral responses.