Cognitive Flexibility as a Mechanism of Change: The Relationship Between Cumulative Trauma Exposure and Stress Reactions Before and After Psychological First-Aid Training.
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| Title: | Cognitive Flexibility as a Mechanism of Change: The Relationship Between Cumulative Trauma Exposure and Stress Reactions Before and After Psychological First-Aid Training. |
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| Authors: | Nizri, Hagit (AUTHOR), Catz, Or (AUTHOR), Siman-Tov, Yochi (AUTHOR), Farchi, Moshe (AUTHOR), Levy-Gigi, Einat (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Cognitive Therapy & Research. Dec2025, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p1123-1131. 9p. |
| Subjects: | Cognitive flexibility, Emotional trauma, Mental health, Protective factors, First aid training, Helplessness (Psychology) |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Cumulative exposure to stressful and traumatic incidents can lead to mental deterioration, often resulting in overwhelming feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness. Previous studies revealed that cognitive flexibility plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between trauma exposure and such aversive emotional outcomes. The aim of the current study was twofold: first, to examine the potential impact of participation in a psychological first-aid cognitive-focused training on cognitive flexibility, as well as on feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness. Second, to test whether cognitive flexibility serves as a mechanism of change. Specifically, to determine whether it moderates the relationship between cumulative trauma exposure and feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness following (but not before) the training. Methods: One-hundred seventy-two educational counselors, whose professional routine includes constant exposure to trauma and stress, were assessed before and after a 10-week psychological first-aid training, which equipped them to respond effectively and support others during traumatic incidents. Results: The results revealed increased cognitive flexibility and reduced feelings of fear and helplessness following the training. Moreover, before the training, trauma exposure was positively associated with feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness, with no specific role for cognitive flexibility. Following the training, cognitive flexibility moderated the relationship between traumatic exposure and feelings of threat, acting as a protective factor that mitigates this effect. Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of psychological first-aid training in reducing aversive feelings, improving cognitive flexibility, and prompting it as a protective factor against the deleterious effects of cumulative trauma exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Cognitive Therapy & Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 189532576 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Cognitive Flexibility as a Mechanism of Change: The Relationship Between Cumulative Trauma Exposure and Stress Reactions Before and After Psychological First-Aid Training. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nizri%2C+Hagit%22">Nizri, Hagit</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Catz%2C+Or%22">Catz, Or</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Siman-Tov%2C+Yochi%22">Siman-Tov, Yochi</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Farchi%2C+Moshe%22">Farchi, Moshe</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Levy-Gigi%2C+Einat%22">Levy-Gigi, Einat</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Cognitive+Therapy+%26+Research%22">Cognitive Therapy & Research</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p1123-1131. 9p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+flexibility%22">Cognitive flexibility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+trauma%22">Emotional trauma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Protective+factors%22">Protective factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22First+aid+training%22">First aid training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Helplessness+%28Psychology%29%22">Helplessness (Psychology)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: Cumulative exposure to stressful and traumatic incidents can lead to mental deterioration, often resulting in overwhelming feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness. Previous studies revealed that cognitive flexibility plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between trauma exposure and such aversive emotional outcomes. The aim of the current study was twofold: first, to examine the potential impact of participation in a psychological first-aid cognitive-focused training on cognitive flexibility, as well as on feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness. Second, to test whether cognitive flexibility serves as a mechanism of change. Specifically, to determine whether it moderates the relationship between cumulative trauma exposure and feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness following (but not before) the training. Methods: One-hundred seventy-two educational counselors, whose professional routine includes constant exposure to trauma and stress, were assessed before and after a 10-week psychological first-aid training, which equipped them to respond effectively and support others during traumatic incidents. Results: The results revealed increased cognitive flexibility and reduced feelings of fear and helplessness following the training. Moreover, before the training, trauma exposure was positively associated with feelings of fear, threat, and helplessness, with no specific role for cognitive flexibility. Following the training, cognitive flexibility moderated the relationship between traumatic exposure and feelings of threat, acting as a protective factor that mitigates this effect. Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of psychological first-aid training in reducing aversive feelings, improving cognitive flexibility, and prompting it as a protective factor against the deleterious effects of cumulative trauma exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Cognitive Therapy & Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10608-025-10605-1 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 9 StartPage: 1123 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Cognitive flexibility Type: general – SubjectFull: Emotional trauma Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental health Type: general – SubjectFull: Protective factors Type: general – SubjectFull: First aid training Type: general – SubjectFull: Helplessness (Psychology) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Cognitive Flexibility as a Mechanism of Change: The Relationship Between Cumulative Trauma Exposure and Stress Reactions Before and After Psychological First-Aid Training. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nizri, Hagit – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Catz, Or – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Siman-Tov, Yochi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Farchi, Moshe – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Levy-Gigi, Einat IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01475916 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 49 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Cognitive Therapy & Research Type: main |
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