(PS10-42) The Association Between Culture and Accommodation in Partners of Veterans with PTSD

Abstract Text: PTSD symptoms of anger, irritability, avoidance, and emotional numbing often lead to
relationship distress and conflict. Partner accommodation describes the efforts by partners of
individuals with PTSD to modify their behaviors to decrease conflict or minimize distress and
has been associated with greater patient and partner psychopathology and relationship distress.
However, for couples in PTSD treatment, greater partner accommodation at pre-treatment
predicts greater reduction in patient PTSD symptoms and relationship distress. This suggests
that factors which influence partner accommodation may be important to consider in couple-
based treatment for PTSD (e.g., CBCT for PTSD).
     Collectivism and individualism (INDCOL) are dimensions of culture which affect one’s
orientation toward close relationships. Individualist cultures (e.g., the United States, England)
tend to view helping close others as a matter of personal choice, while collectivist cultures (e.g.,
China, Japan, Brazil) tend to avoid conflict and view helping close others as a moral obligation.
In a population that is becoming more culturally diverse, the impact of culture on partner
accommodation should be examined. Thus far, there is no literature on the relationship between
culture and partner accommodation in PTSD; this poster aims to address this gap.

Methods: A sample of 89 partners of Veterans with PTSD enrolled in a treatment study looking
at Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT) for PTSD and completed the Significant
Others’ Response to Trauma Scale (SORTS) at baseline. Based on prior literature, participants
who identified as African American, Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Native Hawaiian were
considered collectivist (n=39) and American Indian and Caucasian participants were considered
individualist (n=50). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to test for mean
differences between collectivist and individualist partners on partner accommodation frequency
after controlling for Veteran PTSD symptom severity as measured by the Clinician-Administered
PTSD Scale (CAPS-5).

Results: Descriptive statistics indicated that those with collectivist racial backgrounds
accommodated their partner more frequently than those with individualist racial backgrounds,
with M=19.82 and M = 15.52, respectively. ANCOVA results revealed a significant effect of
INDCOL on partner accommodation frequency when Veteran PTSD severity was controlled for
(p=0.033). INDCOL accounted for approximately 22% of the variance in partner accommodation
frequency scores, R 2 =0.22 F(2,86)=12.37, p < 0.001.

Discussion: Future research should explore how INDCOL affects partner accommodation
frequency and intensity, including in relation to the severity of each PTSD symptom cluster (i.e.,
re-experiencing, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and arousal). Cultural
attitudes toward close relationships should be discussed before and during PTSD treatment
(e.g., administering the Individualism and Collectivism Scale at pre-treatment). In addition,
clinical research on CBCT for PTSD should make an effort to include ethnic minorities and
cultural diversity in their samples (e.g., same- and mixed-race couples).