The Role of Functional Health Literacy in terms of Harmful Alcohol Use in Adults with Probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder.

Purpose: The current study examined functional health literacy (FHL) in regard to hazardous drinking among a sample with probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods: Participants were 565 adults with probable PTSD and hazardous alcohol use (52.2% female, 68.8% Non-Hispanic White, average age = 39.2 years ± 10.9 years). Results: FHL literacy maintained statistically significant role in terms of hazardous drinking (p < .001) even in the context of posttraumatic stress. Conclusion: FHL may be important to better understand hazardous drinking among persons with comorbid PTSD and AUD.

Caveat emptor: Mental health specialty certifications and the public's preferences for clinical care.

Appropriate training and continuing education for mental health professionals are designed to ensure that clinicians provide effective and ethical care. Mental health consumers may depend upon these credentials to judge the level of a professional's competence, but whether these activities and credentials provide a valid indicator of knowledge and skills is subject to debate. The present study was designed to examine preferences for mental health clinicians among potential consumers and factors that may inform these preferences, specifically comparing preferences for doctoral-level mental health clinicians and masters-level clinicians with and without specialty certification for treating anxiety symptoms. Cross-sectional assessment with self-report surveys (clinician preferences, prior mental health diagnosis and treatment, demographic characteristics, generalized anxiety symptoms, mental health literacy, and mental health stigma) was administered in two samples: a college student sample (N = 224; 71.9% female; Mage = 19.1, SD = 1.5) and a sample of adults with chronic pain (N = 116; 74.1% female; Mage = 43.8, SD = 13.8). The present study found that across both samples, therapists with a specialty certification were preferred over those without such credentials within each profession, and that certification status trumped professional standing such that certified masters-level clinicians were rated more highly than noncertified PhD-level clinicians. These findings are indicative of a schism between how the field of clinical psychology conceptualizes itself and how it is seen by its consumers. Implications of our findings for mental health consumers, clinicians, and professional organizations are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Using pre-treatment de novo threat conditioning outcomes to predict treatment response to DCS augmentation of exposure-based CBT.

BACKGROUND: Over a decade and a half of research has resulted in inconsistent evidence for the efficacy of d-cycloserine (DCS), a partial glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate agonist, for augmenting exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety- and fear-based disorders. These variable findings have motivated the search for moderators of DCS augmentation efficacy. METHODS: In this secondary analysis of a previous randomized clinical trial, we evaluated the value of de novo threat conditioning outcomes-degree of threat acquisition, extinction, and extinction retention-for predicting treatment response to exposure-based CBT for social anxiety disorder, applied with and without DCS augmentation in a sample of 59 outpatients. RESULTS: We found that average differential skin conductance response (SCR) during extinction and extinction retention significantly moderated the prediction of clinical response to DCS: participants with poorer extinction and extinction retention showed relatively improved treatment response with DCS. No such effects were found for expectancy ratings, consistent with accounts of DCS selectively aiding lower-order but not higher-order extinction learning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide support for extinction and extinction retention outcomes from threat conditioning as potential pre-treatment biomarkers for DCS augmentation benefits. Independent of DCS augmentation, the current study did not support threat conditioning outcomes as useful for predicting response to exposure-based CBT.

Climate change views examined through a behavioral medicine frame: are there potential target mechanisms for change beyond political ideology?

The threat of climate change is associated with both profound health consequences and failures by many individuals to take preventive actions. Behavioral science research on health behavior engagement may serve as a lens through which to better understand attitudes associated with the threat of climate change. This study was designed to examine individual differences in attitudinal responses to climate change, understanding the degree to which these responses can be predicted by both political beliefs and more readily modified psychological factors commonly associated with health behavior engagement: locus of control, anxiety sensitivity, delay discounting, and intolerance of uncertainty. Participants (N = 234) were US adults (62% male; 57% Non-Hispanic White; 44% Democrat) who completed an online survey. Stepwise multiple linear regressions examined which variables provided non-redundant prediction in models of climate change beliefs and concerns. In addition to providing support for the role of political affiliation and related ideology in climate change views (9-23% variance), this study underscores the importance of a behavioral health frame in understanding climate change concerns and beliefs. Known risk factors for negative health behaviors - prominently, locus of control, anxiety sensitivity, and delay discounting - contributed strongly to the understanding of these views, accounting for 4-28% of variance. Our findings encourage greater attention to health behavior-related constructs for understanding attitudes relevant to climate change action.

Underscoring the F in FoMO: How does anxiety sensitivity contribute to fear of missing out?

Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a prevalent phenomenon associated with a range of mental health symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. To our knowledge, the question of whether FoMO can be explained by other well-known mechanistic variables-namely, loneliness, rumination, and anxiety sensitivity (AS) - has not been previously evaluated. The current study investigated the predictive power of loneliness, rumination, and AS for explaining variance in FoMO within two independent samples of undergraduate students at a large Northeastern university. Participants completed an online battery of questionnaires. In Study 1, it was found that loneliness and rumination offered significant prediction of FoMO when AS was not considered in the model; however, when these three predictors were considered together, only AS offered significant, non-redundant prediction. Study 2 revealed that both rumination and AS offered significant prediction of FoMO, with AS offering stronger unique prediction. Such findings provide a new frame for understanding the nature of the relatively new concept of FoMO, and in particular, suggest that it may be important to consider AS and rumination in future studies.

Impact of preference for yoga or cognitive behavioral therapy in patients with generalized anxiety disorder on treatment outcomes and engagement.

There is some, but inconsistent, evidence to suggest that matching patient treatment preference enhances treatment engagement and outcome. The current study examined differential preferences and factors associated with treatment preference for 12-week group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), yoga, or stress education in 226 adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; 70% female, Mean age = 33 ± 13.5). In a subsample of 165 patients who reported an intervention preference and were randomized to yoga or CBT, we further examined whether match to preferred intervention improved the primary treatment outcome (responder status on Clinical Global Impressions Scale) and engagement (dropout, homework compliance). Preferences for CBT (44%) and yoga (40%) were similar among patients. Women tended to prefer yoga (OR = 2.75, p = .01) and CBT preference was associated with higher baseline perceived stress (OR = 0.92, p = .04) and self-consciousness meta-cognitions (OR = 0.90, p = .02). Among those not matched to their preference, treatment response was higher for those receiving CBT than yoga (OR = 11.73, p = .013); there were no group differences for those matched to their treatment preference. In yoga, those who received their preference were more likely to drop than those who did not (OR = 3.02, 95% CI = [1.20, 7.58], p = .037). This was not the case for CBT (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = [0.13, 1.03], p = .076). Preference match did not predict homework compliance. Overall, results suggest that treatment preference may be important to consider to optimize outcome and engagement; however, it may vary by treatment modality. Future research incorporating preference, especially with yoga for anxiety, is aligned with personalized medicine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01912287; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01912287.

The association between race- and ethnicity-related stressors and sleep: the role of rumination and anxiety sensitivity.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the association between psychosocial factors and self-reported sleep duration and two indices of sleep quality in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of adults. We investigated the relations between both rumination and anxiety sensitivity with these self-reported sleep outcomes. We also examined rumination and anxiety sensitivity as moderators of three race- and ethnicity-related stressors: discrimination, acculturative stress, and socioeconomic status. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, we assessed 1326 adults (ages 18-48 years) selected for self-reported racial and ethnic minority status. Regression analyses were used to examine the associations between demographic, social/environmental stressors, depression severity, rumination, and anxiety sensitivity and three sleep outcomes: sleep duration, sleep quality subscale, and global sleep quality. RESULTS: Our findings supported the hypothesized role of rumination as an amplification factor for the influence of race- and ethnicity-related stressors on sleep duration and quality. Rumination was associated with all three sleep outcomes (sleep duration, sleep quality subscale, and global sleep quality) and was a moderator of the associations between discrimination and all 3 sleep outcomes. Anxiety sensitivity was not consistently associated with these sleep outcomes. Depression symptoms did not account for these findings. CONCLUSIONS: If confirmed in longitudinal study, our findings introduce a potentially important treatment target-rumination-for addressing sleep disparities in prevention or intervention models. Rumination appears to amplify the negative sleep consequences of race- and ethnicity-related stressors and is a modifiable treatment target.

Understanding the impact of complicated grief on combat related posttraumatic stress disorder, guilt, suicide, and functional impairment in a clinical trial of post-9/11 service members and veterans.

BACKGROUND: Complicated grief (CG) is a bereavement-specific syndrome distinct from but commonly comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While bereavement is common among military personnel (Simon et al., 2018), there is little research on the impact of CG comorbidity on PTSD treatment outcomes. METHODS: To evaluate the impact of comorbid CG on PTSD treatment outcomes we analyzed data from a randomized trial comparing prolonged exposure, sertraline, and their combination in veterans with a primary diagnosis of combat-related PTSD (n = 194). Assessment of PTSD, trauma-related guilt, functional impairment, and suicidal ideation and behavior occurred at baseline and weeks 6, 12, and 24 during the 24-week trial. RESULTS: CG was associated with lower PTSD treatment response (odds ratio (OR) = 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.12, 0.69], p = 0.005) and remission (OR = 0.28, 95% CI [0.11, 0.71], p = 0.007). Those with CG had greater severity of PTSD (p = 0.005) and trauma-related guilt (<0.001) at baseline and endpoint. In addition, those with CG were more likely to experience suicidal ideation during the study (CG: 35%, 14/40 vs. no CG 15%, 20/130; OR = 3.01, 95% CI [1.29, 7.02], p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid CG is associated with elevated PTSD severity and independently associated with poorer endpoint treatment outcomes in veterans with combat-related PTSD, suggesting that screening and additional intervention for CG may be needed.

PTSD symptom presentation across the deployment cycle.

BACKGROUND: Symptom-level variation in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not yet been examined in the early post-deployment phase, but may be meaningful etiologically, prognostically, and clinically. METHODS: Using latent class analysis (LCA), we examined PTSD symptom heterogeneity in a cohort of participants from the Marine Resiliency Study (MRS), a longitudinal study of combat Marines deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (N=892). Typologies of PTSD symptom presentation were examined at one month pre-deployment and again one, five, and eight months post-deployment. RESULTS: Heterogeneity in PTSD symptom presentation was evident at each assessment point, and the degree of symptom heterogeneity (i.e., the number of classes identified) differed by time point. Symptom patterns stabilized over time from notable symptom fluctuations during the early post-deployment period to high, medium, and low symptom severity by eight months post-deployment. Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle were frequently endorsed by participants in the initial month post-deployment. Flashbacks, amnesia, and foreshortened future were infrequently endorsed. Greater combat exposure, lifespan trauma, and avoidant coping generally predicted worse outcomes. LIMITATIONS: Data were self-report and may have limited generalizability due to our lack of women and inclusion of only combat Marines. Attrition and re-ranging of data resulted in significant missing data and affected the representativeness of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: Symptom-level variability is highest in the month following deployment and then stabilizes over time. Should post-deployment assessments occur too soon, they may capture common and transient early post-deployment reactions, particularly anxious arousal.

Posttraumatic stress in deployed Marines: prospective trajectories of early adaptation.

We examined the course of PTSD symptoms in a cohort of U.S. Marines (N = 867) recruited for the Marine Resiliency Study (MRS) from a single infantry battalion that deployed as a unit for 7 months to Afghanistan during the peak of conflict there. Data were collected via structured interviews and self-report questionnaires 1 month prior to deployment and again at 1, 5, and 8 months postdeployment. Second-order growth mixture modeling was used to disaggregate symptom trajectories; multinomial logistic regression and relative weights analysis were used to assess the role of combat exposure, prior life span trauma, social support, peritraumatic dissociation, and avoidant coping as predictors of trajectory membership. Three trajectories best fit the data: a low-stable symptom course (79%), a new-onset PTSD symptoms course (13%), and a preexisting PTSD symptoms course (8%). Comparison in a separate MRS cohort with lower levels of combat exposure yielded similar results, except for the absence of a new-onset trajectory. In the main cohort, the modal trajectory was a low-stable symptoms course that included a small but clinically meaningful increase in symptoms from predeployment to 1 month postdeployment. We found no trajectory of recovery from more severe symptoms in either cohort, suggesting that the relative change in symptoms from predeployment to 1 month postdeployment might provide the best indicator of first-year course. The best predictors of trajectory membership were peritraumatic dissociation and avoidant coping, suggesting that changes in cognition, perception, and behavior following trauma might be particularly useful indicators of first-year outcomes.

Are habitual overgeneral recollection and prospection maladaptive?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Individuals with depression exhibit difficulty retrieving specific memories and imagining specific future events when instructed to do so relative to non-clinical comparison groups. Instead of specific events, depressed individuals frequently retrieve or imagine "overgeneral" memories that span a long period of time or that denote a category of similar events. Recently, Raes, Hermans, Williams, and Eelen (2007) developed a sentence completion procedure (SCEPT) to assess the tendency to recall overgeneral autobiographical memories. They found that specificity on this measure was associated with depression and rumination. We aimed to replicate these findings and to examine the tendency to imagine overgeneral future events. METHODS: We had 170 subjects complete past (SCEPT) and future-oriented (SCEFT) sentence completion tasks and measures of depression severity, PTSD severity, hopelessness, and repetitive negative thought. RESULTS: Although specificities of past and future events were correlated, neither SCEPT nor SCEFT specificity was negatively associated with depression severity, posttraumatic stress symptoms, repetitive negative thought (RNT), or hopelessness. LIMITATIONS: Our data are cross-sectional, preventing any determination of causality and limiting our assessment of whether specificity is associated with psychological distress following a stressful life event. In addition, we observed poor internal consistency for both the SCEPT and SCEFT. CONCLUSIONS: These findings fail to support the hypothesis that overgeneral memory and prospection on these tasks are associated with psychological distress.