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First Responder Coping And Its Impact On Resilience, Ptsd Symptomology, And Hypervigilance, Bianca Bullock Sep 2022

First Responder Coping And Its Impact On Resilience, Ptsd Symptomology, And Hypervigilance, Bianca Bullock

Dissertations

The present study investigated coping strategies utilized by first responders and how those strategies relate to resilience, PTSD symptomology, and hypervigilance. The purpose of this study is to help provide more detailed information as to how first responders’ coping impacts their overall functioning. First responders (N = 181), including law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians, completed online surveys measuring whether engaged or disengaged coping strategies were used to manage stressful situations. Self-perceived resilience, PTSD symptoms, and hypervigilance were also measured. A one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of variance was performed to test the relationships between engaged versus disengaged …


A Moderated Mediation Model Of Gender, Posttraumatic Cognitions, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Military Sexual Assault, Hallie S. Tannahill Aug 2022

A Moderated Mediation Model Of Gender, Posttraumatic Cognitions, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Military Sexual Assault, Hallie S. Tannahill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Military sexual assault (MSA) is associated with the greatest risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PTSD severity beyond other trauma types. Sexual revictimization further increases this risk and severity. However, not all who experience MSA revictimization develop PTSD. This suggests there may be a key mechanism that explains the association between MSA and PTSD. Posttraumatic cognitions (PTC), which include an overall domain and subdomains of self, world, and self-blame, may be one such mechanism between MSA and PTSD, although this link has not yet been examined in the context of MSA revictimization. Further, literature suggests that men and women …


Gender And Ptsd: An Examination Of Socialized Masculinity As Moderator Of Ptsd Symptom Development, Kirsten Schmidt Aug 2022

Gender And Ptsd: An Examination Of Socialized Masculinity As Moderator Of Ptsd Symptom Development, Kirsten Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to explain observed gender differences in PTSD risk and protective factors and subsequent PTSD symptoms by use of a Masculine Heuristic moderator variable. Drawing from heuristic and gender role theories, this study utilizes a sample of male and female trauma survivors to examine the interaction between a Masculine Heuristic style and trauma exposure in the development of PTSD symptoms. Structural Equation Modeling and moderation analysis were used to explore these constructs. Results are discussed and incorporated into current literature, while limitations of the current study and suggestions for future research are explored.


Psychological Trauma Alters T-Lymphocyte Inflammation And Redox Through Sympathetic Mechanisms, Safwan K. Elkhatib May 2022

Psychological Trauma Alters T-Lymphocyte Inflammation And Redox Through Sympathetic Mechanisms, Safwan K. Elkhatib

Theses & Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder characterized by distinctive symptom clusters, including intrusive memories (i.e., flashbacks), avoidance of related stimuli, affective changes, and hyperarousal. Strikingly, patients with PTSD face a significantly increased risk for a number of inflammation-driven pathologies, ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune disease. Yet, the exact etiology of this increased risk remains unknown. The immune system is known to be strongly influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, and sympathetic overactivity is a hallmark of PTSD. Lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, are richly innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers which terminate near adaptive immune …


The Necessity Of Trauma-Focused Curricula In Mental Health Graduate Programs: Advocating For Comprehensive Trauma Etiology And Treatment Education With Proposed Course Outline, Aaron S. Gillespie May 2022

The Necessity Of Trauma-Focused Curricula In Mental Health Graduate Programs: Advocating For Comprehensive Trauma Etiology And Treatment Education With Proposed Course Outline, Aaron S. Gillespie

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

During the past four decades, it has become increasingly clear how prevalent trauma, polytrauma and co-morbid trauma-related disorders are within our shared, global communities. A growing body of research continues to uncover the mind-boggling impact these overwhelming experiences have on individuals, their families, and the communities that support them, including mental health professionals. It behooves us as allied mental healthcare providers to learn what trauma is, how it may affect the individual across the lifespan, as well as how to effectively identify and treat the trauma-related symptoms our clients present with. However, despite a proliferation of research demonstrating the growing …


Evaluation Of Hippocampal Allostatic Load-Associated Factors In Animal Models Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Relevance To Human Ptsd, Dennis Parker Kelley Mar 2022

Evaluation Of Hippocampal Allostatic Load-Associated Factors In Animal Models Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Relevance To Human Ptsd, Dennis Parker Kelley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated allostatic load, nearly double the risk for metabolic syndrome, reduced hippocampal volume, and contextual memory processing deficits. Emerging evidence suggests that these stress effects may predispose individuals to the development of PTSD, and there is a known relationship between chronic stress and metabolic dysfunction. In this work, we utilized two rat models of PTSD to explore these connections. We used an acute predator odor stressor to investigate the relationship between PTSD-like behaviors and mitochondrial dysfunction in the hippocampus of rats, and we observed that conditioned place avoidance was associated with reduced mitochondrial …


Is Ego Strength A Trait That Contributes To Trauma Resilience?, Matt Hiltebrand, Feb 2022

Is Ego Strength A Trait That Contributes To Trauma Resilience?, Matt Hiltebrand,

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Given the ubiquitous experience of trauma among first responders, there is a critical need to understand the traits that contribute to resilience in experiencing traumatic events. Strength of identity is associated with resilience in several meaningful life events including negative peer review, adjustment to significant change, and recovering from depression or anxiety (Kim & Choi, 2013). There is a scarcity of research that has examined ego strength as a trait that contributes to trauma resilience. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between ego strength and the experience of trauma among veteran first responders (including, paramedics, firefighters, …


A Model Of Childhood Maltreatment, Ptsd Symptoms, Reinforcement Sensitivity, And Alcohol Outcomes In Young Adults, Logan E. Welker Jan 2022

A Model Of Childhood Maltreatment, Ptsd Symptoms, Reinforcement Sensitivity, And Alcohol Outcomes In Young Adults, Logan E. Welker

Dissertations and Theses

Alcohol use poses a significant public health concern, particularly among young adults, 35% of whom report binge drinking (SAMHSA, 2019). Childhood maltreatment is reported by over 50% of young adults (Maples et al., 2014) which places individuals at a greater risk of problematic drinking (Goldstein et al., 2010). Developmental traumatology theory posits that 1) maltreatment-related psychobiological changes are responsible for the increased risk of dysfunctional alcohol use in maltreated individuals and 2) PTSD may be a good indicator of this psychobiological change (De Bellis, 2002). PTSD symptoms have mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and alcohol outcomes in previous studies …


Efficacy And Possible Mechanisms Of Change In Written Exposure Therapy In Undergraduates With Ptss: A Randomized Trial Of Wet Compared To Trauma-Focused Expressive Writing, Robyn Alyssa Ellis Jan 2022

Efficacy And Possible Mechanisms Of Change In Written Exposure Therapy In Undergraduates With Ptss: A Randomized Trial Of Wet Compared To Trauma-Focused Expressive Writing, Robyn Alyssa Ellis

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Trauma exposure is common, with a 90% lifetime endorsement rate in adults in the United States and a majority of first year students reporting exposure to trauma prior to college. A minority of individuals go on to develop PTSD, with higher rates on college campuses (9-12.4%) than lifetime estimates (7%). Existing evidence-based practices for PTSD have demonstrated efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms (PTSS), but critiques of evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for PTSD include high levels of drop-out and barriers to access. Written exposure therapy (WET) is a brief promising intervention for PTSS with a growing literature of evidence suggesting efficacy with …


The Experience Of Providing Direct Care To Children Victims Of Boko Haram Insurgencies In Nigeria, Felicia Etuke Jan 2022

The Experience Of Providing Direct Care To Children Victims Of Boko Haram Insurgencies In Nigeria, Felicia Etuke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The insurgency of terrorism leaves lasting economic, social, academics, spiritual, religious, and psychological effects, but often children’s psychological welfare is neglected in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. Boko Haram’s presence in Nigeria has left many children orphaned, displaced, and impoverished. Thus, there is a need to highlight the importance of the role that care providers play in securing the psychological health of the child victims of Boko Haram insurgency. This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the experiences of care providers to the child victims of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Compassion fatigue theory was used as a theoretical framework for the …


Effects Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder For U.S. Women Veterans, Bobbi N. L. Mount, Phd Jan 2022

Effects Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder For U.S. Women Veterans, Bobbi N. L. Mount, Phd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived postdeployment experiences of U.S. women veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their perception of the impact their diagnosis had on their immediate families. The theoretical framework was Heider’s causal attribution theory. The first two research questions directly addressed the purpose of the study, and the third research question addressed each participant’s experience with accessing mental healthcare services. NVivo was used to transcribe, code, and analyze data derived from semistructured interviews with six U.S. women veterans who were diagnosed with PTSD by a licensed mental health professional postdeployment. …


The Merits Of Reporting Battered Woman Syndrome In South Asian Women, Annyssa Karran Jan 2022

The Merits Of Reporting Battered Woman Syndrome In South Asian Women, Annyssa Karran

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper’s focus on South Asian and Asian-American women in relation to Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) originates from a limited amount of research on the self-helping behaviors of these women–especially those who have immigrated from the countries of Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan–as compared to other cultures (Sripada, 2020). The current literature surrounding BWS identifies lesser reporting on South Asian and Asian-American women with ethnic backgrounds from these regions (Kasturirangan, 2004). A journal by Yoshioka (2005) proposes that we consider the “world view” or intersectionality when considering domestic violence and to which many women are restricted as a result …


Tripping Over Trauma: A Proposal Of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy For Comorbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And Depression, Liam Paul Gomez Jan 2022

Tripping Over Trauma: A Proposal Of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy For Comorbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And Depression, Liam Paul Gomez

Senior Projects Spring 2022

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a widespread, often debilitating affliction that is only partially attenuated by current first-line treatment despite its heightened prominence in the sociopolitical arena. Since individuals with PTSD also experience high rates of depression comorbidity and resultant suicidality, it is essential that treatment is more holistically effective. A possible novel intervention, psilocybin-assisted therapy, has shown promising results for the improvement of depression, addiction, and other disorders; prospectively, when administered with non-directive therapy, it could prove to be an efficacious intervention for PTSD with comorbid depression. In the proposed study, there will be two participant groupings: the control …


Impact Of Trauma On Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intention Among Emergency Dispatchers, Sherrie Johnston Jan 2022

Impact Of Trauma On Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intention Among Emergency Dispatchers, Sherrie Johnston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emergency dispatchers in the United States are exposed to traumatic events, which may lead to a staffing shortage. Though it is well-established that decreased job satisfaction increases turnover intentions, little research investigates whether trauma impacts these constructs. Therefore, this quantitative non-experimental study was focused on whether education was a protective factor against posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and whether trauma moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention among emergency dispatchers. The relationship between vicarious trauma (VT) and PTSD among dispatchers was examined, and whether it is possible to predict PTSD among dispatchers based on VT, education level, and job …


Signs In Sophocles: Modern Approaches To Ptsd In The Ajax, Charlotte Simon Jan 2022

Signs In Sophocles: Modern Approaches To Ptsd In The Ajax, Charlotte Simon

Honors Theses

This project explores the relationship between ancient Greek tragedy and modern psychology, specifically focusing on instances of PTSD, both through the descriptions of symptoms and the cultural reaction to such trauma responses in both ancient and modern sources. The case study from ancient Greece is Sophocles’ play, Ajax, a dramatic depiction of a post-PTSD soldier who has a mental break and is faced with either living with what he has done or committing suicide. The primary objective of this project is to illustrate what modern psychological theory can reveal about the portrayal of PTSD in Greek tragedy and therefore also …


Neural Correlates And Neuroanatomy Of Juvenile And Adult Contextual Fear Memory Retention, Natalie Odynocki Jan 2022

Neural Correlates And Neuroanatomy Of Juvenile And Adult Contextual Fear Memory Retention, Natalie Odynocki

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

AbstractFear is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that allows an organism to discern potential harm and act accordingly by engaging in defensive behaviors. While fear is an adaptive response, dysregulation of fear by means of a traumatic event can lead to psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Animal research using rodents in Pavlovian context fear conditioning experiments allows for the ability to study the underlying neural circuitry of threat-appropriate and aberrant fear learning and memory that may contribute to PTSD. However, despite reports that women are more than two times more likely to develop PTSD compared to men, the …


Can Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Be A Viable Treatment Option For Law Enforcement Officers With Ptsd?, Megan Rinderer Jan 2022

Can Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Be A Viable Treatment Option For Law Enforcement Officers With Ptsd?, Megan Rinderer

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Law enforcement officers (LEO) are more likely to experience symptoms of PTSD when compared to the general population yet are less likely to seek mental health treatment (Jetelina et al., 2020). Given that LEO face unique occupational stressors and repeated exposure to traumatic events, treatment for PTSD among law enforcement populations poses unique challenges for clinicians. The combination of these variables precludes officers from seeking and receiving mental health services. Research regarding the efficacy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) as a psychotherapeutic intervention is limited. To date, no studies have examined the use of BJJ to mitigate symptoms of PTSD …


Susceptibility And The Stockholm Syndrome, Karina S. Cabrera Jan 2022

Susceptibility And The Stockholm Syndrome, Karina S. Cabrera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis intends to explore the relationship between three specific types of abuse and their susceptibility to developing Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is the psychological phenomenon of a victim empathizing with their abuser. It can occur under various types of abuse, such as captivity, domestic violence with a partner, and child sexual abuse. A thorough literature review was conducted on the topic to determine which type of abuse makes a person more susceptible to developing the syndrome. It was concluded that the circumstances involved in child sexual abuse make a victim more inclined to sympathize with their abuser. By understanding …