Emotion Identification and Emotion Sensitivity Following Interpersonal and Noninterpersonal Traumatic Experiences: Results From the AURORA Study

Abstract

Social cognition is an important mechanism linking trauma to psychopathology; however, current models fail to explain individual differences in social cognition after trauma exposure. We investigated whether the interpersonal nature of trauma exposure helps to explain variability in social-cognitive outcomes. Our sample was derived from the AURORA study, a national initiative involving intensive follow-up of trauma survivors for 1 year. We analyzed data from 2,241 participants (age: M = 35.12 years; 64% female; 54% Black) who experienced an assault ( n = 262) or a motor vehicle collision ( n = 1,979). Social cognition was assessed with the Multiracial Emotion Identification Task and the Belmont Emotion Sensitivity Test. Overall emotion-identification accuracy declined over time among participants who experienced interpersonal trauma (β = −0.10, p = .03) but not noninterpersonal trauma (β = 0.00, p = .83). These results may help to enhance the prediction of psychopathological outcomes following trauma exposure.