Gratitude Amidst Hardship: The Moderating Role of Gratitude on Social Support and Sexual Assault PTSD

Social support is a strong protective factor against PTSD symptoms; however, it may be less effective for individuals with a sexual assault (SA) history. The diminished presence of gratitude may contribute to a diminished effect of social support, as gratitude is often defined as the recognition and appreciation of support from others. The current study examined gratitude as a moderator between social support and SA PTSD vs. non-SA PTSD. We hypothesized that those with a history of SA would have lower gratitude and that SA would moderate the association between gratitude and social support. Results showed that gratitude was significantly lower among those with a history of SA. A significant interaction between gratitude and SA history suggested that social support was less effective without gratitude in those with a non-SA history. However, among those with an SA history, gratitude was unrelated to the association between social support and PTSD severity. These results highlight the role of gratitude in social support and how protective effects are impacted by trauma type.