The mediating role of resilience in the association between trauma type and CPTSD among Swiss older adults

Myriam V Thoma; Enya Redican; Mark Shevlin; Nathanael Adank; Andreas Maercker; Shauna L Rohner

doi:10.1080/20008066.2025.2568267

The mediating role of resilience in the association between trauma type and CPTSD among Swiss older adults

Myriam V Thoma
, Enya Redican
, Mark Shevlin
, Nathanael Adank
, Andreas Maercker
, Shauna L Rohner

University of Zurich

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Objective:
Limited research exists on the potentially differential associations of interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) in older adults. This study investigated both linear and curvilinear associations between trauma exposure (i.e. interpersonal versus non-interpersonal) and PTSD/DSO symptoms. It further tested whether psychological resilience mediates these relationships.
Method:
A total of N = 1,526 Swiss older adults (Mage = 72 years, SD = 6.20, range = 65–95 years) completed self-report measures, assessing interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma exposure with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, PTSD and DSO symptoms with the International Trauma Questionnaire, and psychological resilience with the Brief Resilience Scale.
Results:
Interpersonal trauma (44.9%) was less prevalent compared to non-interpersonal trauma exposure (80.9%). Both trauma types were positively associated with PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.15, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.10, p < .001) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.12, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.06, p = .012) symptoms, and negatively associated with resilience (interpersonal: β = −0.06, p = .030; non-interpersonal: β = −0.07, p = .032). A curvilinear association was found between non-interpersonal trauma exposure and DSO symptoms (β = −0.05, p = .030). Resilience partially mediated the relationship between both trauma types and PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .037) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.03, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .033) symptoms. Female gender was significantly associated with lower resilience (β = −0.14, p < .001).
Conclusion:
The findings underscore the enduring psychological impact of both interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma in later life. Resilience, as measured with a brief assessment, may serve as a protective factor against PTSD/DSO symptoms, highlighting its potential role in clinical interventions aimed at trauma-exposed older adults.

Original language	English
Article number	2568267
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Volume	16
Issue number	1
Early online date	16 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2025.2568267
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 30 Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Data Availability Statement

Requests to access the datasets and material should be directed to the corresponding author.

Funding

This research/project was conducted without any external funding and was financed by the Department of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. The authors wish to thank all participants who shared their experiences for this study. The authors further wish to thank Valerie Schneemann for her valuable work within the project, particularly with respect to their recruitment efforts. The study was conducted at the University of Zurich and was supported by the University Research Priority Program (URPP) ‘Dynamics of Healthy Aging’ at the University of Zurich.

Funders
Universität Zürich

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Resilience
Ptsd
Older Adults
Aao
Mediation
Trauma Exposure
Interpersonal Trauma
Tept
Adultos Mayores
Resiliencia
Dso
Non-interpersonal Trauma
Trauma Interpersonal
Trauma No Interpersonal
Exposición Al Trauma
Mediación
Humans
Life Change Events
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Switzerland
Female
Male
Resilience, Psychological
Self Report
Surveys and Questionnaires
trauma exposure
mediation
resilience
DSO
non-interpersonal trauma
interpersonal trauma
PTSD
older adults
Switzerland/epidemiology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology

Access to Document

10.1080/20008066.2025.2568267

The mediating role of resilience in the association between trauma type and CPTSD among Swiss older adults.cleanedFinal published version, 1.17 MBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

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title = "The mediating role of resilience in the association between trauma type and CPTSD among Swiss older adults",

abstract = "Objective: Limited research exists on the potentially differential associations of interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) in older adults. This study investigated both linear and curvilinear associations between trauma exposure (i.e. interpersonal versus non-interpersonal) and PTSD/DSO symptoms. It further tested whether psychological resilience mediates these relationships. Method: A total of N = 1,526 Swiss older adults (Mage = 72 years, SD = 6.20, range = 65–95 years) completed self-report measures, assessing interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma exposure with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, PTSD and DSO symptoms with the International Trauma Questionnaire, and psychological resilience with the Brief Resilience Scale. Results: Interpersonal trauma (44.9\%) was less prevalent compared to non-interpersonal trauma exposure (80.9\%). Both trauma types were positively associated with PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.15, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.10, p < .001) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.12, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.06, p = .012) symptoms, and negatively associated with resilience (interpersonal: β = −0.06, p = .030; non-interpersonal: β = −0.07, p = .032). A curvilinear association was found between non-interpersonal trauma exposure and DSO symptoms (β = −0.05, p = .030). Resilience partially mediated the relationship between both trauma types and PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .037) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.03, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .033) symptoms. Female gender was significantly associated with lower resilience (β = −0.14, p < .001). Conclusion: The findings underscore the enduring psychological impact of both interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma in later life. Resilience, as measured with a brief assessment, may serve as a protective factor against PTSD/DSO symptoms, highlighting its potential role in clinical interventions aimed at trauma-exposed older adults.",

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author = "Thoma, \{Myriam V\} and Enya Redican and Mark Shevlin and Nathanael Adank and Andreas Maercker and Rohner, \{Shauna L\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor \& Francis Group.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1080/20008066.2025.2568267",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "1--14",

journal = "European Journal of Psychotraumatology",

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T1 - The mediating role of resilience in the association between trauma type and CPTSD among Swiss older adults

AU - Thoma, Myriam V

AU - Redican, Enya

AU - Shevlin, Mark

AU - Adank, Nathanael

AU - Maercker, Andreas

AU - Rohner, Shauna L

PY - 2025/12/30

Y1 - 2025/12/30

N2 - Objective: Limited research exists on the potentially differential associations of interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) in older adults. This study investigated both linear and curvilinear associations between trauma exposure (i.e. interpersonal versus non-interpersonal) and PTSD/DSO symptoms. It further tested whether psychological resilience mediates these relationships. Method: A total of N = 1,526 Swiss older adults (Mage = 72 years, SD = 6.20, range = 65–95 years) completed self-report measures, assessing interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma exposure with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, PTSD and DSO symptoms with the International Trauma Questionnaire, and psychological resilience with the Brief Resilience Scale. Results: Interpersonal trauma (44.9%) was less prevalent compared to non-interpersonal trauma exposure (80.9%). Both trauma types were positively associated with PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.15, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.10, p < .001) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.12, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.06, p = .012) symptoms, and negatively associated with resilience (interpersonal: β = −0.06, p = .030; non-interpersonal: β = −0.07, p = .032). A curvilinear association was found between non-interpersonal trauma exposure and DSO symptoms (β = −0.05, p = .030). Resilience partially mediated the relationship between both trauma types and PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .037) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.03, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .033) symptoms. Female gender was significantly associated with lower resilience (β = −0.14, p < .001). Conclusion: The findings underscore the enduring psychological impact of both interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma in later life. Resilience, as measured with a brief assessment, may serve as a protective factor against PTSD/DSO symptoms, highlighting its potential role in clinical interventions aimed at trauma-exposed older adults.

AB - Objective: Limited research exists on the potentially differential associations of interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) in older adults. This study investigated both linear and curvilinear associations between trauma exposure (i.e. interpersonal versus non-interpersonal) and PTSD/DSO symptoms. It further tested whether psychological resilience mediates these relationships. Method: A total of N = 1,526 Swiss older adults (Mage = 72 years, SD = 6.20, range = 65–95 years) completed self-report measures, assessing interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma exposure with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, PTSD and DSO symptoms with the International Trauma Questionnaire, and psychological resilience with the Brief Resilience Scale. Results: Interpersonal trauma (44.9%) was less prevalent compared to non-interpersonal trauma exposure (80.9%). Both trauma types were positively associated with PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.15, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.10, p < .001) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.12, p < .001; non-interpersonal: β = 0.06, p = .012) symptoms, and negatively associated with resilience (interpersonal: β = −0.06, p = .030; non-interpersonal: β = −0.07, p = .032). A curvilinear association was found between non-interpersonal trauma exposure and DSO symptoms (β = −0.05, p = .030). Resilience partially mediated the relationship between both trauma types and PTSD (interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .037) and DSO (interpersonal: β = 0.03, p = .031; non-interpersonal: β = 0.02, p = .033) symptoms. Female gender was significantly associated with lower resilience (β = −0.14, p < .001). Conclusion: The findings underscore the enduring psychological impact of both interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma in later life. Resilience, as measured with a brief assessment, may serve as a protective factor against PTSD/DSO symptoms, highlighting its potential role in clinical interventions aimed at trauma-exposed older adults.

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KW - Non-interpersonal Trauma

KW - Trauma Interpersonal

KW - Trauma No Interpersonal

KW - Exposición Al Trauma

KW - Mediación

KW - Humans

KW - Life Change Events

KW - Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Switzerland

KW - Female

KW - Male

KW - Resilience, Psychological

KW - Self Report

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - trauma exposure

KW - mediation

KW - resilience

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KW - interpersonal trauma

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ER -

The mediating role of resilience in the association between trauma type and CPTSD among Swiss older adults

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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