A Preliminary Investigation of the Role of Strategic Withholding of Emotions in PTSD

Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience deficits in emotional responding, yet to date these deficits have been poorly understood. This study is an initial investigation of the role of strategic, intentional withholding of emotional responses among individuals with PTSD. In a sample of 61 combat veterans, veterans with PTSD reported significantly more frequent and intense withholding of their emotional responses than did combat veterans without PTSD. The tendency to withhold emotional responses was associated with PTSD, beyond measures of comorbid distress. The implications of these findings for future research and interventions aimed at deficits in emotional responding are discussed.