Psychology Commons^™

Stress Inoculation Training Outcomes Among Veterans With Ptsd And Tbi, Sarah E. Jackson, Matthew Baity, Jeannette Giorgio, Diane Swick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Stress inoculation training (SIT) is a cognitive-behavioral treatment that has demonstrated potential as a nontrauma based intervention for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of a novel 3-phase group formulation of SIT applied to a naturalistic population of veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The goals were to reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression, improve perceived functioning, and increase treatment initiation among veterans who were reticent to initiate established evidence-based and trauma-focused therapies. Method: A program development and evaluation archival analysis of 65 veterans engaged in SIT …

Differences In Rape Acknowledgement And Mental Health Outcomes Across Transgender, Non-Binary, And Cisgender Bisexual Youth, Raeann E. Anderson, Lesley A. Tarasoff, Nicole Vankim, Corey Flanders

Psychology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to document the rates of rape acknowledgment (labeling rape as rape rather than using a minimizing label) and the corresponding mental health correlates using the minority stress framework in a unique and vulnerable sample: racially diverse sexual and gender minority young adults. Participants were 245 young adults who identified their sexual orientation as under the bisexual umbrella. A total of 159 of these participants (65.2%) identified their gender identity as nonbinary. All participants completed a series of online questionnaires regarding their sexual victimization history, mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), …

Polyvictimization, Emotion Dysregulation, Symptoms Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Behavioral Health Problems Among Justice-Involved Youth: A Latent Class Analysis, Ruby Charak, Julian D. Ford, Cosby A. Modrowski, Patricia K. Kerig

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Among the 90% of adolescents involved in juvenile justice who have experienced traumatic victimization, a sub-group may be at highest risk due to histories of multiple types of interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma, termed polyvictims. Latent class analyses (LCA) have identified polyvictimized subgroups in several studies of adolescents and adults, but only one study of traumatic victimization has been conducted with justice-involved youth (Ford et al. 2013). The current investigation replicates and extends that study’s findings using LCA to assess a wider range of victimization- and nonvictimization-related adversities and emotion dysregulation, DSM-5 symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), …

Development And Validation Of The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale In A Sample Of Social Media Users, Megan Nicole Mancini

ETD Archive

This study examined the psychometric worth of a piloted measure, Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale for Social Media Users (STSS-SM). The STSS-SM is a 17-item instrument designed to measure intrusion, avoidance, and arousal symptoms associated with indirect exposure to traumatic events via social media use. Young adult social media users (N = 144) completed a survey containing the STSS-SM and measures of depression, trauma history, social media use, and demographics. A confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model of secondary traumatic stress in social media users. Additionally, evidence for internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity were found. These findings suggest …

The Role Of Dissociation And Hyperarousal In Adult Sexual Revictimization, Madeline S. Herman

ETD Archive

The purpose of the present study was to examine how child sexual abuse (CSA), hyperarousal symptoms, and dissociation symptoms are associated with sexual revictimization in adulthood. The study hypothesized that (A) a history of CSA will be associated with greater instances of adult sexual victimization, (B) higher rates of hyperarousal will be associated with lower rates of adult sexual revictimization in survivors of CSA, (C) higher rates of dissociation will be associated with higher rates of adult sexual revictimization in survivors of CSA, and (D) in looking at both hyperarousal and dissociation, hyperarousal symptoms will buffer the relationship between CSA …

Passive Coping Strategies During Repeated Social Defeat Are Associated With Long-Lasting Changes In Sleep In Rats, Laura A. Grafe, Lauren O’Mara, Anna Branch, Jane Dobkin, Sandra Luz, Abigail Vigderman, Aakash Shingala, Leszek Kubin, Richard Ross, Seema Bhatnagar

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Exposure to severe stress has immediate and prolonged neuropsychiatric consequences and increases the risk of developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Importantly, PTSD develops in only a subset of individuals after exposure to a traumatic event, with the understanding of this selective vulnerability being very limited. Individuals who go on to develop PTSD after a traumatic experience typically demonstrate sleep disturbances including persistent insomnia and recurrent trauma-related nightmares. We previously established a repeated social defeat paradigm in which rats segregate into either passively or actively coping subpopulations, and we found that this distinction correlates with measures of vulnerability or resilience to …

Are Chronic Inflammatory Diseases Associated With Trauma Exposure And Gender? An Empirical Analysis Of Self-Reported Trauma And Health Histories Of Men And Women, Meghan Lacienski

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

A growing body of research indicates an association between trauma, inflammation, and chronic inflammatory disease; however, the mechanisms of this relationship are not fully understood, and the salience of potential risk factors, such as cumulative effects of trauma, trauma type, and gender, remain unclear. Trauma is associated with poor mental and physical health, such as PTSD, depression, and chronic inflammatory conditions, and this association may be stronger when certain risk factors are considered (Brody, Pratt, & Hughes, 2018; Groer, Kane, Williams, & Duffy, 2014; Husky, Mazure, & Kovess-Masfety, 2018; Kilpatrick et al., 2013). For example, sexual trauma and multiple traumatic …

Relationship Between Preparedness Training And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity In Combat Veterans, Charles F. Snay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past decade, the military has deployed approximately 1 million members into combat, and a factor that plagues the military veterans returning from combat is the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A factor to examine is preparedness training before combat because the research has shown that postcombat resilience training has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD. Using the social cognitive theory, the purpose of this study was to determine whether self-reported preparedness training before deployments was related to lower severity of self-reported PTSD. Based on prior research, age and gender are other variables that this study examined. …

Psychological Effects Of Training In Martial Arts After Interpersonal Trauma, Alexandro Garcia Vargas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who experience a traumatic event may have an adverse emotional reaction that negatively impacts their quality of life. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the influence of training in the martial arts as an intervention in the treatment of interpersonal trauma. The biopsychosocial model provided the framework for the study. The research questions addressed the effects of training in the martial arts and the biological, psychological, and social functioning of individuals who had sustained a form of interpersonal trauma. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 9 participants. Data were analyzed using Moustakas's modified van …

Impact Of Stress Inoculating Training On Police In Aftermath Of Critical Incidents, Russell Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Critical incidents (CI) have increased over the last several decades, with police officers experiencing more trauma and a rise in psychological problems. Stress inoculation training (SIT) could possibly lower symptoms of posttraumatic stress experienced by the police officers who have responded to CIs. To date, little research exists specific to using SIT to lower symptomatic effects of CIs in police officers. The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to examine and compare symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety for police officers who have or have not received SIT prior to a CI. The theoretical foundation was …

The Impact Of Service Dogs On Combat Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Christine R. Hansen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms often require the use of complementary therapeutic aids, such as service dogs, to assist them in their recovery in addition to traditional evidence-based therapy. Anecdotal literature was available on the use of service dogs, but quantitative research has not been conducted to answer the question of what the impact was of the use of service dogs on reducing symptoms of PTSD among combat and non-combat veterans. Attachment theory was one of the most common theoretical frameworks for exploring the use of service dogs for treating combat PTSD. The theoretical framework for …

Evaluation Of The Veteran Resilience Project, Shon Powell

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a daunting concern among the majority of organizations with diverse, or tangential, affiliations to the United States Military and/or its personnel. Unquestionably, the 21 million service-connected individuals, at the time of this writing, (i.e., Active-Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans) afflicted with this disorder are the catalyst for the intense public and private sector interest and involvement in eradication of this disorder. Prevalence rates of PTSD among this complex classification of persons vary across the relevant literature. Some estimates suggest anywhere from 11 to 20 percent, while other sources indicate that upwards of 40 percent …

Veterans’ Help-Seeking And Spousal Support For Ptsd: A Preliminary Study, Kimberly S. Sollows

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Continued engagement in military conflicts and known underutilization of mental health services by veterans necessitates understanding of factors influencing veterans’ attitudes about mental health treatment and decisions to seek services. The present study examined relationships between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, perceived support from spouse, and attitudes toward mental health help-seeking among married U.S. veterans. Participants (N =39) were recruited using social media outreach, an online gaming platform, and through print fliers. First, it was hypothesized that perceived spousal support would be significantly positively correlated with attitudes toward treatment seeking, which was supported to a moderate degree (r=.345, p=.031). …

The Relationship Between Combat Experience, Veteran Pathology And The Pathology Of Their Intimate Partners: What Factors Predict The Pathology Of Veterans And Their Intimate Partners, Edwin A. Brennan

Dissertations

Problem Statement

Military members and their family members who are part of the Global War on Terrorism have experienced deployments and war for over sixteen years and with the resulting toll on both the veteran and their intimate partner. As a result, higher levels of pathology, such as PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression have been experienced by this population. While research has studied the effect of combat on military members, very little research has addressed the effects on family members. Further, no research that has been found by this researcher, has addressed the concept of resonating of pathology between the combat …

Time And Transitions As Predictors Of Effective Postdeployment Resilience, Ricarlos Marcell Caldwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 9/11 over 2.77 million U.S. service members have deployed 5.4 million times to a theater of war with the majority serving in the U.S. Army. The increased stress inherent in a single combat deployment grows exponentially with each subsequent deployment, resulting in behavioral issues and suicide attempts and ideations. This study's purpose, following resilience theory, was to explore the associations of military life experiences (permanent changes of station, promotions, retirements, etc.) and deployment characteristics (number of deployments, operational specialties, combined lengths of deployments, etc.) to postdeployment resilience in U.S. military personnel. The study's design was a quantitative correlational research …

Behavioral Interference Of Memory Reconsolidation As A Treatment For Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Benjamin Darnell

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is best conceptualized as a failure of the stress response to naturally resolve following trauma exposure (e.g., Orcutt, Bonanno, Hannan, & Miron, 2014). Current treatments are effective for some, but not all who suffer from PTSD (e.g., Bradley, Greene, Russ, Dutra, & Westen, 2005; Lee et al., 2016), and relapse is common (Ursano et al., 2004; Davidson et al., 2001). Considering that PTSD is a memory-based disorder, a treatment that could augment trauma memories has the potential to address the limitations of current interventions. Research on memory suggests that, if a memory is retrieved under the …

Service Dogs For Veterans With Ptsd: Taxonomy, Work Stress Reduction, And Matching, Lindsay Parenti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research suggests that many veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) struggle with reintegration (Sayer et al., 2010), but are unlikely to seek help or complete treatment (Schottenbauer et al., 2008). To make matters worse, available treatment options are often time consuming, challenging, and/or associated with negative side effects (Carafano & Hutchinson, 2017). Using animals as a treatment modality for veterans with PTSD is an emerging topic of interest and has shown promise (Owen, et al., 2016; Richie et al., 2016). However, several factors have hindered the advancement of this field. Obstacles include a lack of standard terminology and classification system, …

Understanding The Relationship Between Anti-Transgender Bias, Non-Affirmation, And Post-Traumatic Stress: A Model Of Internalized Transphobia-Mediated Post-Traumatic Stress., Sebastian Mitchell Barr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transgender people’s increased risk for negative mental health outcomes, when compared to cisgender peers or the general public, has been well documented in the psychological literature. Researchers have begun to establish empirical support for a relationship between anti-transgender bias, non-affirmation of gender identity, internalized transphobia, and other transgender-specific minority stressors. Although little work has explored the mechanisms of this relationship, some psychologists have proposed conceptualizing these factors as potentially traumatic experiences and understanding the poor mental health outcomes as manifestations of complex post-traumatic stress. In this dissertation, I examine whether there is empirical support for this framework by evaluating the …

Treating Comorbid Ptsd And Bpd: A Dialectical Approach, Meredith Pescatello

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

According to the Biosocial Developmental Model for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), individuals with a biological vulnerability (i.e., heightened emotional sensitivity and impulsive tendencies), plus an invalidating environment may develop BPD (Crowell, Beauchaine, & Linehan, 2009). Individuals with BPD are especially difficult to treat, because of their “extreme emotional, behavioral, and cognitive dysregulation” (Crowell, Beauchaine, & Linehan, 2009). Though challenging to treat, BPD can be successfully treated using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (Linehan, 1993; Linehan 2015). Similarly, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is complex and often burnout inducing to treat, because of the intensity of the emotional content related to traumatic events …

Intergenerational Transmission Of Child Abuse: Predictors Of Child Abuse Potential Among Racially Diverse Women Residing In Domestic Violence Shelters, Raeann E. Anderson, Larissa-Jayne Edwards, Kristin E. Silver, Dawn M. Johnson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parental risk for perpetrating child abuse is frequently associated with intergenerational patterns of abuse: being abused increases the risk for future abuse. Yet, the mechanisms of intergenerational abuse are unclear, and the risk factors for perpetrating child abuse are interrelated. Research suggests that history of childhood abuse, psychiatric distress, and exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) are all related risk factors for perpetrating child abuse. We investigated these three risk factors using the developmental psychopathology framework in a racially diverse sample of high-risk women: women residing in domestic violence shelters. 211 mothers residing in domestic violence shelters completed measures of …

Unveiling Chaim Shatan: An Analyst Unveiling War Wounds, Andrea Recarte

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Historically, the psychological wounds of war have been subject to a ritual of emergence and burial. This cycle is multilayered and paralleled in various levels of experience; society, governmental administrations, institutions, families, and individuals. Furthermore, the collective failure to witness the wounds of survivors adds to the cumulative trauma of the soldier. The field of psychoanalysis, originally preoccupied with that which is hidden, also takes part in the massive disavowal of combat stress. Analysts who have revealed war casualties tend to be forgotten, left to suffer the same fate of the grieving soldier. This project focuses on rescuing, contextualizing, critically …

Subthreshold Ptsd And Associated Psycholgical Distress In Trauma Exposed Male And Female Veterans, Matthew A. Southard

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) represents the upper end of a stress-response continuum to traumatic events, rather than a discrete pathological syndrome (Ruscio, et al., 2002). Individuals with PTSD report higher levels of anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, and adjustment difficulties compared to non-traumatized individuals (Ginzburg, Ein-Dor, & Soloman, 2009; Thompson et al, 2011; Novaco and Chemtob, 2002; Kotler et al, 2001; Orth & Wieland, 2006). Subthreshold PTSD represents a less severe range on the stress-response continuum and these individuals may experience similar rates of symptoms of anger, aggression, and depression as those with full-PTSD (Jakupcak, et al., 2007; Mylle & Maes, …

Curcumin Inhibits The Ikk:Nf-Kappa B Pathway In Neural Fear Circuits, Miguel A. Briones

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The study of how the brain acquires fearful memories has attracted considerable experimental attention, due in part to the promise of discovering novel therapeutic approaches for psychiatric disorders that are characterized by unusually strong and persistent traumatic memories. In recent years, extensive research has focused on studying the neural and molecular mechanisms by which fear memories are acquired, stored, and retrieved in the brain. Once acquired, fear memories may be attenuated using one of 2 procedures: 1) fear extinction, which involves repeated presentation of the fear-arousing stimulus in the absence of an aversive consequence, or 2) interference with the reconsolidation …

First Semester Academic Functioning Of College Students : The Role Of Stressful And Traumatic Life Events., Ashlee J. Warnecke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A large number of the nearly 20 million students who were attending American colleges in 2015 will not graduate. One factor that may affect the success of students is the influence of past experiences, including past adversity, or exposure to traumatic or non-traumatic stressors. The present study sought to better describe and understand the role of stress/trauma history in college students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The potential relationship this history has with academic outcomes was explored. Additionally, as not all students with a history of stressful and traumatic life events struggle academically, self-reported resilience, as well as resiliency factors, were …

Relationship Variables In Group Psychotherapy Treatment For Sexual Trauma Survivors, Sarah Gooch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of sexual trauma, many survivors face painful emotions and experiences that impact their mental health and relationships. This study examined relational group psychotherapy processes including group cohesion and bond with the group leaders as vital components in treatment for sexual trauma survivors. The construct of shame was highlighted and the relationship between shame and group cohesion was explored. Outcome measures were used to assess PTSD symptomatology. A repeated-measures design was used to assess groups that were currently occurring in the community for adult, female survivors of sexual trauma. Five treatment groups were evaluated, with 27 members consenting …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) And Positive And Negative Social Support As Components Of The Interpersonal Psychological Theory Of Suicide In The United States Military Veterans, Jordan M. Kugler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Veterans are at a greater risk for suicide compared to the general population. Suicide risk further increases for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) states that a combination of higher perceived burden and lower thwarted belonging increases risk for suicidal ideation (SI), and when SI is present, higher acquired capability for suicide (ACFS) increases risk for suicide attempt. The IPTS is well supported in samples of the general population, but understudied in military samples. The current study tested the IPTS, using PTSD severity in place of perceived burden, and bothersomeness of negative social …

The Role Of Disgust In Posttraumatic Stress: A Critical Review Of The Empirical Literature, Christal L. Badour, Matthew T. Feldner

Psychology Faculty Publications

The current review provides a detailed analysis of the burgeoning literature examining the role of disgust in understanding posttraumatic stress symptomatology. Research in this area generally converges to suggest (1) posttraumatic stress is associated with the experience of elevated disgust, (2) individual differences in disgust vulnerabilities may relate to increased posttraumatic stress symptom levels, (3) retrospective report of peritraumatic disgust is related to posttraumatic stress symptom levels, and (4) posttraumatic stress symptom levels appear to be associated with increased disgust, including in response to traumatic event cues. Importantly, much of this research suggests observed relations between disgust and posttraumatic stress …

Chronic Hippocampal Abnormalities And Blunted Hpa Axis In An Animal Model Of Repeated Unpredictable Stress, Moustafa Algamal, Joseph O. Ojo, Carlyn P. Lungmus, Phillip Muza, Constance Cammarata, Margaret J. Owens, Benoit C. Mouzon, David M. Diamond, Michael Mullan, Fiona Crawford

Psychology Faculty Publications

Incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ranges from 3 to 30% in individuals exposed to traumatic events, with the highest prevalence in groups exposed to combat, torture, or rape. To date, only a few FDA approved drugs are available to treat PTSD, which only offer symptomatic relief and variable efficacy. There is, therefore, an urgent need to explore new concepts regarding the biological responses causing PTSD. Animal models are an appropriate platform for conducting such studies. Herein, we examined the chronic behavioral and neurobiological effects of repeated unpredictable stress (RUS) in a mouse model. 12 weeks-old C57BL/6J male mice were …

Towards Predicting Risky Behavior Among Veterans With Ptsd By Analyzing Gesture Patterns, Tanvir Roushan

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Risky behavior including violence and aggression, self-injury, anger outburst, domestic violence along with self-injury, sexual abuse, rule breaking, use of drugs and alcohol, suicide etc. are alarming issues among US military veterans who return from combat zone deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans are exposed to trauma in war zones which affect most of them with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other metal health problems to some degree. Studies have shown that veterans have much higher rates of PTSD than civilians and are more likely to engage in risky behavior. One of the form of displaying and engaging in risky …

Relations Of Discriminatory Experiences And Marianismo Beleifs With Ptsd Symptoms In Latinx Women, Claire Maria Bird

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Research examining the discriminatory experiences of Latinx women in minimal. The present study examined if various forms of discrimination predicted mental health symptoms in a sample of Latinx women, with the conceptualization of chronic discrimination as a possible form of trauma. There is evidence showing that Latinx individuals are at risk to develop posttraumatic stress disorder at higher rates than their non-Hispanic White counterparts, with many studies pointing to the experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination as a significant contributor (Kaczkurkin, Asnaani, Hall-Clark, Peterson, Yarvis, & Foa, 2016). Given the multiple forms of discrimination that women of color experience, ethnic discrimination, sexism, …