People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms often have trouble communicating and resolving relationship difficulties with their romantic partners, according to previous research by Steffany Fredman, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, and others. In a new study, Fredman and others have found that some of these problems may stem from people's fear of their emotions.
The researchers collected data from 64 opposite-sex couples in which both members of the couple had experienced a traumatic life event. The researchers analyzed PTSD symptom data from each member of the couple about perceived negative consequences if they feel strong emotions and how they and their partner tend to communicate.
Results published in Behaviour Research and Therapy demonstrated that people with higher levels of PTSD symptoms experienced greater fear of their emotions, which was associated with less constructive communication and more unproductive communication with their partners.
