Disturbed subjective time experience in post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Background and objectives: Disturbance of subjective time experience in PTSD has not heretofore constituted a subject of focused empirical research, in spite of previous theoretical insights concerning the phenomenological importance of subjective time distortions in PTSD. Aim of the study was confirming the presumption that an alteration in subjective time experience is an essential feature of PTSD. Methods: Sets of instruments for diagnostic assessment of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, and for assessing subjective time experience, have been used to investigate the differences between the subjects with PTSD (n = 58), subjects with other psychiatric disorders (n = 34) and healthy participants (n = 135). Results: On average, subjects with PTSD differ significantly from the remaining two groups in succession and goal directedness aspects of subjective time experience, while PTSD group differs from healthy group in all aspects except future and past temporal extension. As expected, the covariates adjusted means on the Succession, Integration, Temporal Distinction and Goal Directedness scales are lowest in subjects with PTSD, higher in other disorders and highest among healthy individuals. Conclusions: Most aspects of the subjective time experience in subjects with PTSD show significant alterations compared to healthy ones. Moreover, disturbed succession and goal directedness aspects are most specific because they also significantly differentiate the group with PTSD from the group of those with other disorders. Increased intensity of PTSD symptoms is associated with stronger alteration of time experience. There is a stronger association of temporal disorganization with avoidance/numbing and hyper-arousal than with intrusions.