1.5. Hypotheses
affective valence, PTSD, trauma
MAY
First, we hypothesized that adolescents who participated in STSA-A or MBT-G would demonstrate more positive affective valence in their mental representations of mother, father, self, and primary group leader from the first session in October (Time 1 [T1]) to the final session in May (Time 2 [T2]), regardless of intervention condition. Relatedly, we hypothesized that these adolescents would demonstrate increased attachment security. We also hypothesized that these adolescents would demonstrate lower severity of PTSD symptoms, as measured by total trauma, re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Second, we hypothesized that differences might exist in changes taking place between boys and girls, irrespective of intervention condition. We examined changes between T1 and T2 in boys and girls separately, combining intervention conditions. We remained agnostic about the existence and direction of gender differences in relation to changes in affective valence of mental representations, attachment security, and severity of trauma symptoms.Third, we hypothesized that, when intervention conditions were examined separately, adolescents in both STSA-A and MBT-G would demonstrate more positive affective valence in their mental representations, increased attachment security, and lower severity of PTSD symptoms.Fourth, we hypothesized that differences might exist in changes taking place between adolescents participating in STSA-A and adolescents participating in MBT-G. We remained agnostic about the existence and direction of differences in intervention condition in relation to changes in affective valence of mental representations, attachment security, and severity of trauma symptoms.Fifth, we hypothesized that differences might exist in changes taking place between adolescents participating in STSA-A and adolescents participating in MBT-G for boys and girls separately. Again, we remained agnostic about the existence and direction of differences in intervention condition in relation to changes in affective valence of mental representations, attachment security, and severity of trauma symptoms for boys and girls separately.