Mitigating suicide risk during the military-to-civilian transition: The VA Veteran Sponsorship Initiative

Abstract A suicide epidemic exists among young U.S. veterans, with risk especially elevated in the first year of transition for the 200,000 servicemembers exiting the military annually. The VA Veteran Sponsorship Initiative (VSI) is a public–private-partnership between federal and community partners that aims to decrease suicides by providing a VA-certified volunteer peer sponsor and connection to community services. Onward Ops is a key community-based national program that enrolls, matches and manages the relationship between servicemembers and sponsors.

Rates of potentially morally injurious events, combat, and lifetime traumas among Black/African American, White, Hispanic/Latino/a/e and non-Hispanic/Latino/a/e U.S. combat veterans

Abstract Objective: Potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) involve transgressions of one’s deeply held sense of right and wrong. Race-related stress may be a source of PMIEs, but no studies have investigated how PMIE exposures differ by racial or ethnic identity. This study explored variations in reported rates of PMIEs among Black/African American, White, Hispanic/Latino/a/e, and non-Hispanic/Latino/a/e United States post-9/11 combat veterans. Methods: Secondary data analysis were conducted using observational cohort data from a repository on post-deployment functioning among combat veterans ($n = 487$).

Gender differences in reported potentially morally injurious events among post-9/11 U.S. combat veterans, using two measures

Abstract Objective: Military experiences that violate one’s sense of right and wrong (i.e., potentially morally injurious events [PMIEs]) may result in moral injury, characterized by shame, guilt, demoralization, self-condemnation, and social withdrawal. The objective of this study was to examine gender-related differences in the rate of reporting PMIEs. Method: Secondary analyses were conducted on a previously collected longitudinal cohort study of postdeployment functioning among U.S. post-9/11 combat veterans in Central Texas (N = 406).

The association between aggression and suicidal behaviors in veterans at risk for suicide

Abstract Suicide is a leading cause of death among United States veterans. Although aggression is common among veterans and represents a strong predictor of suicidal behaviors in civilians, it is seldom studied among veterans. The scant existing research on aggression and suicide in veterans is limited by its restricted examination of the full range of suicidal behavior, oversimplification of suicide attempt history (no attempt vs. attempt), and its focus on physical aggression rather than examining both physical and verbal aggression as unique correlates of suicide.

Supporting service members and veterans during their transition to civilian life using certified sponsors: A 3-arm randomized controlled trial

Abstract Transitioning military servicemembers and veterans (TSMVs) face difficulties throughout their reintegration to civilian life, including challenges with employment, poor social connection, and elevated risk for suicide. To meet the needs of this high-risk population, national initiatives have leveraged community-based interventions. Authors conducted a 3-arm randomized controlled trial (n=200) to evaluate two community-based interventions. The first, Team Red, White & Blue (RWB), connects TSMVs to their community through physical/social activities.

Exploring the trajectory and correlates of social isolation for veterans across a 6-month period during COVID-19

Abstract Social isolation is a relevant problem for veterans who are at risk for disengaging from others as a function of transition stress from military life to civilian life, and given high rates of exposure to trauma and psychological distress. Few researchers have examined social isolation in veterans over time, particularly during COVID-19 that led to significant barriers and restrictions on social interactions. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to assess veterans’ experience of social isolation and its mental health and social functioning correlates during a 6-month period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Partnered implementation of the veteran sponsorship initiative: protocol for a randomized hybrid type 2 effectiveness—implementation trial

Abstract Background: The USA is undergoing a suicide epidemic for its youngest Veterans (18-to-34-years-old) as their suicide rate has almost doubled since 2001. Veterans are at the highest risk during their first-year post-discharge, thus creating a “deadly gap.” In response, the nation has developed strategies that emphasize a preventive, universal, and public health approach and embrace the value of community interventions. The three-step theory of suicide suggests that community interventions that reduce reintegration difficulties and promote connectedness for Veterans as they transition to civilian life have the greatest likelihood of reducing suicide.

Development and validation of the State Moral Elevation Scale: Assessing state-level elevation across nonclinical and clinical samples

Abstract Research on moral elevation has steadily increased and identified several psychosocial benefits that bear relevance to both the general population and people with psychological distress. However, elevation measurement is inconsistent, and few state-level measures have been created and critically evaluated to date. To address this gap, the State Moral Elevation Scale (SMES) was developed and tested using an online sample (N = 930) including subsamples of general participants (nonclinical) and those who screened positive for mental health symptoms (clinical).

Exploring the longitudinal clustering of lifestyle behaviors, social determinants of health, and depression

Abstract Lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, sleep, smoking, diet, and social interaction are associated with depression. This study aimed to model the complex relationships between lifestyle behaviors and depression and among the lifestyle behaviors. Data from three waves of the Midlife in the United States study were used, involving 6898 adults. Network models revealed associations between the lifestyle behaviors and depression, with smoker status being strongly associated with depression. Depression, smoker status, age, time, and exercise were some of the most central components of the networks.

Resilience predicts posttraumatic cognitions after a trauma reminder task and subsequent positive emotion induction among veterans with PTSD

Abstract Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common problem for veterans. Resilience, the tendency to bounce back from difficult circumstances, is negatively associated with posttraumatic cognitions (PTCs) among individuals with a history of trauma, and thus it may be important to understand responses to trauma reminders. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined the association between trait resilience and state PTCs in veterans with PTSD $(n = 47, M_\textit{age} = 48.

Functional specificity and neural integration in the aesthetic appreciation of artworks with implied motion

Abstract Although there is growing interest in the neural foundations of aesthetic experience, it remains unclear how particular mental subsystems (e.g. perceptual, affective and cognitive) are involved in different types of aesthetic judgements. Here, we use fMRI to investigate the involvement of different neural networks during aesthetic judgements of visual artworks with implied motion cues. First, a behavioural experiment ((N = 45)) confirmed a preference for paintings with implied motion over static cues.

Predicting healthcare-seeking behavior based on stated readiness to act: Development and validation of a prediction model

Abstract A starting point of many digital health interventions informed by the Stages of Change Model of behavior change is assessing a person’s readiness to change. In this paper, we use the concept of readiness to develop and validate a prediction model of health-seeking behavior in the context of family planning. We conducted a secondary analysis of routinely collected, anonymized health data submitted by 4,088 female users of a free health chatbot in Kenya.

Development and validation of the State Moral Elevation Scale: Assessing state-level elevation across nonclinical and clinical samples

Abstract Research on moral elevation has steadily increased and identified several psychosocial benefits that bear relevance to both the general population and people with psychological distress. However, elevation measurement is inconsistent, and few state-level measures have been created and critically evaluated to date. To address this gap, the State Moral Elevation Scale (SMES) was developed and tested using an online sample (N = 930) including subsamples of general participants (nonclinical) and those who screened positive for mental health symptoms (clinical).

Cognitive restructuring vs. defusion: Impact on craving, healthy and unhealthy food intake

Abstract Coping with food cravings is crucial for weight management. Individuals tend to use avoidance strategies to resist food cravings and prevent overeating, but such strategies may not result in the benefits sought. This study compared the effects of two cognitive techniques (Restructuring vs. Defusion) for dealing with food cravings in terms of their impact on healthy vs. unhealthy eating behavior (i.e., consumption of chocolate and/or carrots following the intervention).

Want to see more behavior? Consider institutional-level positive reinforcement

Abstract In their review of 160 articles in the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (JCBS), Newsome, Newsome, Fuller & Meyer (2019) argued prior JCBS authors have disproportionately relied on self-report measures to the neglect of more overt measures of behavior. I agree that increasing the frequency of more overt behavioral measures of behavior could potentially improve the quality of the scholarship within JCBS. To encourage these changes, we might consider a fuller analysis of the factors maintaining the status quo, and further discuss the practical ways we might reinforce the behaviors we desire among our fellow scientists.

How can process-based researchers bridge the gap between individuals and groups? Discover the dynamic p-technique

Abstract Behavioral researchers are concluding that conventional group-based analyses often mask meaningful individual differences and do not necessarily map onto the change processes within the lives of individual humans. Hayes et al. (2018) have called for a renewed focus on idiographic research, but with methods capable of nuanced multivariate insights and capable of scaling to nomothetic generalizations. To that end, we present a statistical technique we believe may be useful for the task: the dynamic p-technique.

Psychological inflexibility among Hispanic college students: Introducing the 6-item Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Weight-related Difficulties

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Weight-Related Difficulties (AAQW) among Hispanic college students (n = 313). Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a 1-factor, 6-item solution, which we call the AAQW-6. Additionally, psychological inflexibility for weight-related difficulties was associated with higher levels of disordered eating and general psychological inflexibility and lower levels of mindfulness. The AAQW-6 added to prediction of disordered eating above and beyond body mass index (BMI) and general psychological inflexibility.

Examining self-compassion in romantic relationships

Abstract Self-compassion has recently emerged as a component of psychological health. Research on self-compassion processes shows that self-compassion is related to lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of positive affect. The current study examined the extent to which self-compassion is related to the quality of romantic relationships. Undergraduates (n = 261) completed online self-report questionnaires assessing self-compassion and relationship quality. Correlational and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted in order to assess the relation between self-compassion and relationship quality.

A development assets approach in East Africa: Can Swahili measures capture adolescent competencies and ecological experiences?

Abstract Background Assets-based approaches are well-suited to youth living in majority world contexts, such as East Africa. However, positive psychology research with African adolescents is rare. One hindering factor is the lack of translated measures for conducting research. Objective This study builds capacity for positive youth development research in East Africa and beyond by examining a Swahili measure of youth development that assess both internal and external strengths. Methods We translated a well-researched and internationally used measure of assets, [Developmental Assets Profile (DAP), along with measures of self-efficacy, ethnic identity, sense of community, and community participation] into Swahili.

How Bayesian estimation might improve CBS measure development: A case study with body-image flexibility in Hispanic students

Abstract The methods for examining questionnaires in psychology are steeped in conventional statistics. However, many within the social sciences have started exploring Bayesian methods as an alternative to the conventional approach. This paper highlights the usefulness of Bayesian methodology for factor analysis, using the Body Image Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (BI-AAQ) as a case study. In an all-Hispanic undergraduate sample (n = 289), we compared techniques from Bayesian and frequentist estimation for examining the factor structure of the BI-AAQ.

Measuring social desirability across language and sex: A comparison of Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale factor structures in English and Mandarin Chinese in Malaysia

Abstract Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country in which multiple languages are prominently spoken, including English and Mandarin Chinese. As psychological science continues to develop within Malaysia, there is a need for psychometrically sound instruments that measure psychological phenomena in multiple languages. For example, assessment tools for measuring social desirability could be a useful addition in psychological assessments and research studies in a Malaysian context. This study examined the psychometric performance of the English and Mandarin Chinese versions of the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale when used in Malaysia.

Mediating the relation between workplace stressors and distress in ID support staff: Comparison between the roles of psychological inflexibility and coping styles

Abstract The present study examined how different patterns of coping influence psychological distress for staff members in programs serving individuals with intellectual disabilities. With a series of path models, we examined the relative usefulness of constructs (i.e., wishful thinking and psychological inflexibility) from two distinct models of coping (i.e., the transactional model and the psychological flexibility models, respectively) as mediators to explain how workplace stressors lead to psychological distress in staff serving individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Addiction

@incollection{wilsonACTforAddiction2012, title = {Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Addiction}, booktitle = {Mindfulness and acceptance for addictive behaviors: Applying contextual CBT to substance abuse and behavioral addictions}, author = {Kelly G. Wilson and Lindsay W. Schnetzer and Maureen K. Flynn and A. Solomon Kurz}, editor = {Steven C. Hayes & Michael E. Levin}, year = 2012, pages = 27–68, chapter = 1, publisher = {New Harbinger}, url = {https://www.newharbinger.com/mindfulness-and-acceptance-addictive-behaviors} }

Smoking, nicotine dependence and motives to quit in Asian-American versus Caucasian college students

Abstract: Introduction: Few smoking cessation programs are designed for college students, a unique population that may categorically differ from adolescents and adults, and thus may have different motivations to quit than the general adult population. Understanding college student motives may lead to better cessation interventions tailored to this population. Motivation to quit may differ, however, between racial groups. The current study is a secondary analysis examining primary motives in college student smokers, and differences between Asian American and Caucasian students in smoking frequency, nicotine dependence, and motives to quit.

Between-session practice and therapeutic alliance as predictors of mindfulness after mindfulness-based relapse prevention

Abstract Objectives Mindfulness-based treatments have demonstrated efficacy in reducing symptoms in clinical populations. Not surprisingly, research suggests increases in client mindfulness might be a mechanism of change in these treatments. However, little is known about specific factors that lead to increased mindfulness. Design The present study is a secondary analysis of 93 adults in outpatient treatment for substance abuse, assessing effects of between-session mindfulness practice and therapeutic alliance on levels of mindfulness after an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) program.