Image vividness as a psychophysiological regulator in posttraumatic stressdisorder

This study examined the relationship between image vividness and psychophys iological responses to trauma-related stimuli in participants with Posttrau matic Stress Disorder (PTSD). An auditory stimulus related to a shared trau ma was presented to participants with and without PTSD and physiological pa rameters (heart rate and blood pressure) were measured concurrently. A nega tive correlation was noted in the PTSD group between image vividness and th e level of physiological response. When the PTSD group was divided into hig h and low vividness, the physiological response was higher than that of the non-PTSD controls only when image vividness was low. The results are discu ssed in the context of Lang's theoretical model, emphasizing the role of im age vividness in the mediation and regulation of psychophysiology.