Trauma-related mental contamination (MC) is a distressing sense of dirtiness that arises absent a contaminant following a traumatic event. Existing work has linked MC to more severe posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among individuals with sexual trauma histories and has begun to characterize some aspects of the experience of trauma-related MC. However, a more nuanced understanding of how individuals experience and respond to trauma-related MC is lacking. The present study explored lived experiences of trauma-related MC among a sample of 34 women with sexual trauma histories using semi-structured qualitative interviews. Women were asked about MC across several domains, including somatic locations where trauma-related MC is experienced; triggers for trauma-related MC; and engagement in MC-related coping strategies, including washing behaviors. Women reported experiencing trauma-related MC in various bodily locations (internal, external, and both). Both overtly trauma-related triggers (e.g., trauma-relevant people or words, sexual contact) and non-trauma-related triggers (e.g., sweating, being around other people) were mentioned. Women also reported experiencing a variety of emotions alongside trauma-related MC (e.g., disgust, shame, anger) and using a range of strategies to cope with trauma-related MC, including washing behaviors, distraction, and substance use. Findings suggest that triggers for and responses to trauma-related MC are heterogeneous. Future work should explore the role of context in individuals’ experiences of and responses to trauma-related MC, as well as whether experiences of trauma-related MC may differ by gender or across settings. Increased understanding of trauma-related MC may inform efforts to more readily and effectively identify and target MC in clinical practice.

中文翻译：

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“我感觉很脏，淋浴也解决不了”：对性创伤相关精神污染的定性检查


与创伤相关的精神污染（MC）是一种在创伤事件后没有污染物的情况下产生的令人痛苦的肮脏感。现有工作已将 MC 与有性创伤史的个体中更严重的创伤后应激障碍症状联系起来，并已开始描述创伤相关 MC 经历的某些方面。然而，对于个人如何经历和应对与创伤相关的 MC 缺乏更细致的了解。本研究采用半结构化定性访谈，探讨了 34 名有性创伤史的女性样本中与创伤相关的 MC 的生活经历。女性被问及多个领域的 MC，包括经历创伤相关 MC 的躯体部位；创伤相关 MC 的触发因素；参与与 MC 相关的应对策略，包括清洗行为。女性报告在身体的各个部位（内部、外部和两者）经历了与创伤相关的 MC。提到了明显的创伤相关触发因素（例如，与创伤相关的人或言语、性接触）和非创伤相关触发因素（例如，出汗、与其他人在一起）。女性还报告称，在发生与创伤相关的 MC 的同时，她们还会经历各种情绪（例如厌恶、羞耻、愤怒），并使用一系列策略来应对与创伤相关的 MC，包括清洗行为、分散注意力和使用药物。研究结果表明，创伤相关 MC 的触发因素和反应是异质的。未来的工作应探讨背景在个人对创伤相关 MC 的经历和反应中的作用，以及创伤相关 MC 的经历是否因性别或不同环境而异。 增加对创伤相关 MC 的了解可能有助于在临床实践中更容易、更有效地识别和定位 MC。