Information processing biases in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): cross-sectional findings and exploratory investigation of bias changes following treatment

Wittekind, Charlotte E. ; Jäger, Maximilian; Semm, Anamaria; Stefanovic, Mina; Berberich, Götz; Krauseneck, Till; Ehring, Thomas ; Woud, Marcella L. (2026): Information processing biases in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): cross-sectional findings and exploratory investigation of bias changes following treatment. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 17 (1): 2638717. ISSN 2000-8066

Abstract

Background: Information processing biases are ascribed an important role in the aetiology
and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While findings on attentional
biases have been mixed, there are only a few studies that have used implicit measures to
assess dysfunctional appraisals and their malleability over the course of treatment in PTSD.

Objective: The primary aim was to examine whether individuals with PTSD (1) show
attentional biases towards trauma-related stimuli, (2) generate more implicitly assessed
dysfunctional appraisals, and (3) more strongly associate the self as traumatized and
vulnerable compared to traumatized individuals without PTSD and a healthy control group.
The second and exploratory aim was to explore whether biases would be reduced after
treatment.

Method: Participants included individuals with PTSD (n = 50), traumatized individuals without
PTSD (n = 54), and healthy controls (n = 57). Attentional biases were measured with a Visual
Search Task, dysfunctional appraisals with a scenario task, and trauma-related self-appraisals
with two Implicit Association Tests (self-traumatized, self-vulnerability). In exploratory
analyses, changes in these measures were examined across treatment.

Results: No significant differences were found in attention allocation to trauma-related stimuli
between groups. However, participants with PTSD generated more dysfunctional appraisals
and demonstrated stronger trauma-related associations than both control groups.
Importantly, treatment significantly reduced dysfunctional appraisals and fostered more
functional self-appraisals in the IAT.

Conclusions: Implicitly assessed dysfunctional (self-) appraisals differentiate individuals with
PTSD from controls and appear responsive to treatment. Future research should clarify
whether these implicit biases function as mechanisms of change and predict long-term
clinical outcomes.

• Dokumententyp: Artikel (LMU)
• Organisationseinheit (Fakultäten): 11 Psychologie und Pädagogik > Department Psychologie
• DFG-Fachsystematik der Wissenschaftsbereiche: Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 491502892