Disclosing Traumatic Experiences: Correlates, Context, and Consequences

The type and severity of traumatic events differentially predict negative posttraumatic outcomes, with betrayal traumas (in which the victim is perpetrated by someone s/he trusts) touted as the most harmful. Although disclosure is considered an important component of the "healing process," nondisclosure and delayed disclosure persist. This study explored factors predicting and the context surrounding disclosure as well as the link between disclosure timing and a trauma survivor's experience with depression. Participants (N = 124) were attendees of a Mental Health Awareness event who had experienced a traumatic event. Participant report of traumatic experiences revealed that 28.2%, 36.3%, and 35.5% of participants had experienced a low betrayal (LB), medium betrayal (MB), and high betrayal (HB) trauma, respectively. Almost half (43.5%) disclosed immediately after the trauma, 32.3% disclosed within a month, and 24.2% disclosed after 1 month or more. Betrayal trauma level significantly predicted disclosure timing with individuals who had experienced HB traumas significantly more likely to delay disclosure (HB:LB, odds ratio [OR] = 21.79; MB:LB, OR = 4.57). Trauma survivors predominantly first disclosed to informal support sources (e.g., friends, family), typically citing that they thought it would allow them to feel better or they perceived the other person to be concerned about their well-being as their reason for disclosing. Experiencing a HB trauma predicted subsequent depression severity, but disclosure status was not predictive of subsequent depression. Results will be discussed with respect to implications for assessment and interventions for trauma survivors.