Examining the associations between control (primary and secondary) appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Malaysian and Australian trauma survivors.

Background: Little research has considered the influence of culture on control appraisals in the context of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether cultural group moderated the relationship between control (primary and secondary) appraisals and PTSD symptoms in trauma survivors from Western (Australian) and Asian (Malaysian) cultural contexts.

Methods: Trauma survivors (107 Australian with European cultural heritage; 121 Malaysian with Malay, Indian or Chinese cultural heritage) completed an online survey assessing PTSD symptoms and appraisals of control.

Does culture moderate the relationships between rumination and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression?

Brooding rumination is positively associated with symptoms of both depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, non-clinical cross-cultural research indicates that culture may influence these associations. This study aimed to examine the moderating effect of cultural group (Australian versus Malaysian) on the associations between brooding rumination and symptoms of depression and PTSD.

Examining Cultural Differences in the Associations between Appraisals and Emotion Regulation and PostTraumatic Stress Disorder in Malaysian and Australian Trauma Survivors.

Appraisals and emotional regulation play a central role in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite research demonstrating cultural differences in everyday appraisals and emotion regulation, little research has investigated the influence of culture on these processes in PTSD. This study examined cultural differences in the associations between appraisals, emotion regulation and PTSD symptoms using trauma survivors from an individualistic Western culture (Australia) and a collectivistic Asian culture (Malaysia).