Profiles of Post-traumatic Symptoms and Well-Being Among Young Adults: Associations With Early Adversity, Psychopathology and Social Support

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are common in young adulthood, yet symptom-based approaches provide only a partial account of mental health. The dualcontinua model conceptualizes mental health as the coexistence of psychological distress and psychological well-being (PWB), allowing diverse post-trauma configurations. This study identified PTSS– PWB profiles in 2,000 nationally representative Lithuanian young adults (18–29 years) and examined their associations with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse, and social support. Participants completed validated selfreport measures, and kmeans clustering was applied to standardized PTSS and PWB scores. Four profiles emerged: complete mental health, vulnerable, symptomatic but content, and struggling. Profiles were correctly differentiated (silhouette = .41) and differed significantly in ACE exposure, psychopathology, alcohol misuse, and perceived social support (η 2 = .02– .27). Notably, vulnerable and symptomatic-but-content groups showed similar psychopathology despite contrasting well-being levels. Findings support heterogeneous trauma–well-being trajectories and highlight the need to address both distress and well-being in interventions.