老年人創傷經驗、抑制功能與心智推論能力之關聯探討

Abstract

過去研究指出，個體經歷創傷事件後常發生社交互動缺損之表現，而心智推論能力被視個體進行成功社會互動的重要前提，故本研究欲檢驗創傷經驗與心智推論能力間的關聯。相關機制部分，由於創傷經驗可能造成個體抑制功能缺損，而抑制功能又被指出與心智推論能力有關，故本研究亦欲進一步探討抑制功能在創傷經驗與心智推論能力關聯間扮演之角色。有鑑於老年人口逐年增加，如何提升老年生活適應與品質已成為重要議題，故本研究以78名老年人為受試者，並假設創傷經驗可顯著預測抑制功能，抑制功能可顯著預測心智推論能力，且創傷經驗可顯著預測心智推論能力。結果指出，創傷經驗可顯著預測抑制功能之強弱，抑制功能亦可顯著預測心智推論能力之高低分組；此外，創傷經驗雖未顯著預測心智推論能力，然創傷經驗可有效調節抑制功能與心智推論能力之關聯，即兩者的關聯僅存在於控制組，而未見於創傷組中。針對上述結果，本研究於討論中提出兩種觀點，分別探討心智推論能力不受創傷經驗影響，及創傷經驗同時造成創傷後成長，對心智推論能力造成多重影響之可能，另進一步探討「對老的態度」對本研究之可能影響。除此，文末亦進一步說明此研究可能的貢獻與限制，及未來可行的研究方向。

According to existing studies, victims exposed to trauma usually suffer from deficits on social interaction, which tend to lead to subsequent aversive adjustment. Since theory of mind (ToM) is supposed to be a prerequisite for successful social interaction, it is possible that poor quality of interpersonal interaction after trauma is related to deficits on ToM. Moreover, the ability of inhibition, which is thought to associate with ToM, is regarded to be damaged after trauma. So, the role inhibition plays in the relation between trauma and ToM was also examined in this study. Due to the rapid expansion of elderly population, and the rising concern on adaptation of older adults in Taiwan, the present study recruited 78 older adults, and aimed to investigate the relation among trauma exposure, inhibitory control, and ToM. Results show that, consistent with the hypotheses, trauma exposure is significantly related to inhibition, and inhibition is significantly related to ToM. On the other hand, though trauma exposure is found to have nothing to do with ToM, it is noted to moderate the association of inhibition and ToM, i.e., inhibition and ToM relates to each other only in control group, but not in trauma group. To explain the findings, two possible perspectives are pointed out in the discussion, including that ToM may be unlikely to fluctuate with environmental change such as trauma, and trauma may affect ToM in a complex way due to the emergence of post-traumatic growth. Also, the possible effect of the attitude towards aging was discussed. Besides, applications and limitations of this study, as well as possible directions to future research are also addressed.