Stakeholders in college student mental health have called for a shift in focus from disease to wellness. In response, researchers have increasingly explored factors that foster and maintain mental health among this population (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009). One such germane factor is posttraumatic growth (PTG). Researchers in this domain posit that individuals can endure a subjectively traumatic experience, cope successfully with the effects of that trauma, and thereby function better than before the trauma. Researchers have acknowledged the sociocultural relativism of existing measures of PTG, suggesting differential growth potential among diverse populations and unidentified domains may exist. While a burgeoning area of research, existing knowledge of PTG indicates that college life may be characterized by optimized potential for growth (Meyerson, Grant, Carter, & Kilmer, 2011). Moreover, researchers have suggested PTG may relate positively to outcomes including perceived comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness of life; accessing social support and helpers; and appreciation for life (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1995). Suicidality (i.e., morbid rumination, active suicidal thoughts, suicidal plans, and behaviors) at varying levels of severity may impact growth potential among the college student population. Suicide is considered the third leading cause of death among individuals 24 years and younger, and it is the second leading cause of death among college students (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009; Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 2004). Further, Drum, Brownson, Burton Denmark, and Smith (2009) asserted a greater prevalence of suicidal ideation among college students than once believed. Data suggest that over half of students experience some level of suicidal ideation in their lifetime. The proposed study aims to address persistent gaps in the literature through qualitative and quantitative analysis of cross-sectional data collected in 2011 by the National Research Consortium of Counseling Centers in Higher Education. Data were collected from college students across 74 national institutions. The prevalence of perceived PTG will be determined, and domains of PTG will be identified. The relationship among demographic variables, suicidality, and PTG will be tested to ascertain each independent variable’s effect on the likelihood of endorsing overall PTG as well as PTG in each domain. / text

Despite the negative psychological, emotional, relational, and physiological impact of traumatic events that often persist into adulthood (Breslau, Davis, Andreski, Peterson, 1991; Briere, 2004), some individuals may also experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) as they struggle to resolve their traumatic experiences. PTG is a process that originates from a cognitive response to cope with traumatic events, and an outcome that yields positive personal changes (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1998). Several factors are linked to the increased likelihood of PTG such as symptom severity, coping resources, and personality characteristics (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). This study examined the contributory roles of life-style themes, coping resources, trauma symptoms, and their interaction on different forms of PTG in a sample of college graduate and undergraduates. Wanting Recognition, Tension Control, Social Support, and trauma symptoms were significantly related to PTG. Significant interaction effects were revealed between Wanting Recognition, Social Support and trauma symptoms. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

The current report reviews the recent literature on the relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), sexual assault, and the resulting psychological impact on college women. This document is an overview of PTSD and sexual assault as defined in recent literature, and then reviews the significant impact both factors have on the college woman and her surrounding environment. Intervention and prevention strategies for the negative consequences of sexual assault and PTSD are included. Finally, this report provides suggestions for counselors on appropriate treatment and intervention plans for a college campus. / text

Following exposure to trauma, stress reactions are initially adaptive. However, some individuals’ psychological response can become maladaptive with long-lasting impairment to functioning. Most people with initial symptoms of stress recover, and thus it is important to distinguish individuals who are at risk of continuing difficulties so that resources are allocated appropriately. Investigations of predictors of PTSD development have largely focused on relational and combat-related trauma, with very limited research looking at natural disasters. This study assessed the nature and severity of psychological difficulties experienced in 101 people seeking treatment following exposure to a significant earthquake that killed 185 people. Peritraumatic dissociation, posttraumatic stress symptoms, symptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression, and social isolation were assessed. Descriptive analyses revealed the sample to be a highly impaired group, with particularly high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Path analysis was used to determine whether the experience of some psychological difficulties predicted experience of others. As hypothesised, peritraumatic dissociation was found to predict posttraumatic stress symptoms and symptoms of anxiety. Posttraumatic stress symptoms then predicted symptoms of anxiety and symptoms of depression. Depression and anxiety were highly correlated. Contrary to expectations, social isolation was not significantly related to any other psychological variables. These findings justify the provision of psychological support following a natural disaster and suggest the benefit of assessing peritraumatic dissociation and posttraumatic stress symptoms soon after the event to identify people in need of monitoring and intervention.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2007. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-81).

More than 1.6 million US military personnel have deployed during the past 10 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, also known as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), respectively. As a result of the protracted combat operations in two fronts, many military personnel have suffered traumatic experiences from seeing people die, coming close to death, or having killed people. Even for those who have not encountered direct combat, long deployments (commonly 12 months, but some experienced 15 months) and multiple deployments (often more than two), have caused many to suffer from combat stress. Hence, American military has focused much effort and spent lots of money on addressing the result of combat stress induced psychological injury known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, and the treatment thereof. However, research shows that only about 20% of combat veterans suffer from actual PTSD. In fact, most combat veterans probably suffer more from stressors of being in a combat deployment, with what is being referred to as 'combat stress injury', 'moral injury', or 'soul injury'. Furthermore, other research shows that growth (in various aspects of one's life) is possible; a greater percentage of people with various traumatic experiences report this potential to grow as a result of the traumata. Research shows that spirituality/religious faith helps people grow from traumatic experiences, and can lead to what is referred as Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). The central theological question of the thesis is: What is it about religious faith that helps people to eventually grow from trauma? The qualitative research conducted for this thesis indicates that the key element to PTG is actually community, more specifically, the community of faith, more than the individual's faith. The essential theological inquiry is how ecclesiology is embodied in the military chaplaincy context.

Class of 2013 Abstract / Specific Aims: Guidelines developed by the Brain Trauma Foundation recommend the use of prophylactic anticonvulsants, particularly phenytoin, for the prevention of early posttraumatic seizures for patients with severe traumatic brain injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of levetiracetam, a newer anticonvulsant, for posttraumatic seizure prevention in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Methods: This study was approved by the University of Arizona Medical Center Institutional Review Board. The project consists of a retrospective cohort analysis from January 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011. We have abstracted data from all patients with traumatic brain injuries over this time period from the University of Arizona Medical Center Trauma Registry, and have matched these patients with their records in the pharmacy database to determine who received levetiracetam versus no prophylaxis. Patients younger than 18 years of age, pregnant women, patients who were deemed to be nonsalvageable, and patients who had a seizure prior to initiation of levetiracetam were excluded from the study. The following data was collected: age, gender, ethnicity, mechanism of injury, injury severity score, ED GCS, ED SBP, ED pulse, ED RR, blood alcohol level, ICU length of stay, number of ventilator days, hospital length of stay, FIM score at discharge (totals, and by component), diagnosis, surgery and complication type, anticonvulsant given, type of beta-blocker given, maximum and minimum dose used, cumulative doses given, and whether there exists a known prior history of anticonvulsant use. All data were recorded without patient identifiers and have been kept confidential. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate a relationship between other data collected from the patients’ medical records and seizure occurrence. Chi Square or Fisher's Exact test will be used in the final analysis to compare the effectiveness of levetiracetam versus no prophylaxis to prevent posttraumatic brain injury seizures. Significance is defined as p<0.05 for all analyses. Main Results: The results are pending the final data analysis. Conclusion: To be determined.

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000), the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of global/dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation orientations in facilitating posttraumatic growth (PTG; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996, 2004) following the experience of various significant negative life events (Manuscript 1), relationship dissolution (Manuscript 2), and bereavement (Manuscript 3) in two university student samples. The objectives were to investigate the contribution of dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation in statistically predicting PTG above and beyond previously researched correlates; and explore the mediating role of cognitive appraisals and coping strategies in explaining the relationship between dispositional motivation orientations and PTG. Consistent with the overall hypotheses of the thesis, dispositional autonomous motivation was positively associated with PTG across all three manuscripts. Across all three manuscripts, we found that dispositional autonomous motivation explained a unique portion of the variance in explaining PTG, above and beyond previously researched correlates of PTG and dispositional controlled motivation. Mediation results indicated an indirect effect of dispositional autonomous motivation on PTG through primary cognitive appraisal (Manuscript 1). Dispositional autonomous motivation was positively associated with task-oriented coping strategies across all three manuscripts. Moreover, task-oriented coping strategies were the strongest indirect effect in Manuscript 1, and the only significant indirect effect in Manuscript 2 and Manuscript 3 between dispositional autonomous motivation and PTG. Dispositional controlled motivation was positively related to disengagement-oriented coping strategies in Manuscript 1 and 2, but unrelated in Manuscript 3. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of incorporating motivation orientations into theoretical models of PTG and aiding practitioners in better recognizing the significance of motivational factors in facilitating posttraumatic growth.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University, 2011. / Unlike the process of healing, studies related to the survival time of bone after injury are lacking and a need exists for setting descriptive standards for macroscopic trauma analysis of bone. The rate of macroscopic changes that occur during bone healing can be determined by analyzing specimens that exhibit posttraumatic injury with known survival times. A total of 109 specimens were analyzed from the Civil War Collection housed at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), National Museum of Health and Medicine (NMHM). All specimens displayed some form of traumatic injury, disease, or both. A macroscopic assessment of each bony element was performed using a method practiced by Barbian and Sledzik (2008), to determine the presence of four responses to trauma that occur in bone and the total number of responses per specimen. The four responses observed in this study include a line of demarcation, osteoclastic activity, osteoblastic activity, and sequestration. Each specimen was scored 1 for the presence and 0 for the absence of each type of bone response. Then the number of responses per specimen was calculated to determine a total score of all responses. Throughout this study, the evaluation of the total score of bone responses [TRUNCATED]