Amy Schweinle

Assessing posttraumatic stress disorder with or without reference to a single, worst traumatic event: Examining differences in factor structure.

The authors examined the effects of a methodological manipulation on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklists factor structure: specifically, whether respondents were instructed to reference a single worst traumatic event when rating PTSD symptoms. Nonclinical, trauma-exposed participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 PTSD assessment conditions: referencing PTSD symptoms to their worst trauma (trauma-specific group, n = 218) or to their overall trauma history in general (trauma-general group, n = 234). A 3rd group of non-trauma-exposed participants (n = 464) rated PTSD symptoms globally from any stressful event. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors show that the 4-factor PTSD model proposed by D. W. King, G. A. Leskin, L. A. King, and F. W. Weathers (1998; separating effortful avoidance and emotional numbing) demonstrated the best model fit for trauma-general and non-trauma-exposed participants. The 4-factor PTSD model proposed by L. J. Simms, D. Watson, and B. N. Doebbeling (2002; emphasizing a general dysphoria factor) demonstrated the best model fit for trauma-specific participants. Measurement invariance testing revealed that non-trauma-exposed participants were different from both trauma-exposed groups on factor structure parameters, but trauma groups were not substantially different from each other.

Understanding Young Adolescents' Optimal Experiences in Academic Settings.

Cognitive, motivational, and affective characteristics define classroom contexts, yet flow theory (e.g., M. Csikszentmihalyi, 1975) is 1 of only a few theoretical perspectives that interrelate these characteristics. The authors adapted constructs and methods from flow theory to examine the motivational, cognitive, and affective quality of experience in elementary mathematics classrooms. Students completed experience-sampling forms following 12 class sessions, measuring all 3 aspects. Results indicated that although flow theory explains some patterns of experience, others were counter to it. In particular, individual affect was influenced by the interaction of challenge and skill. However, social affect and efficacy are more impacted by perceived skill than by challenge, and the importance of the experience is more strongly informed by the challenge.

Measuring secondary traumatic stress symptoms in military spouses with the posttraumatic stress disorder checklist military version.

Abstract Little research to date has examined secondary traumatic stress symptoms in spouses of military veterans. This study investigated the presence and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms in a sample of 227 Army National Guard veterans and secondary traumatic stress symptoms among their spouses. The veterans completed the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist Military Version (PCL-M) (Weathers et al., 1993) to determine the probable prevalence rate of posttraumatic stress symptoms. A modified version of the PCL-M was used to assess secondary traumatic stress symptoms in the spouses. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that the modified version of the PCL-M used to assess secondary traumatic stress symptoms in spouses fits using the same four-factor PTSD structure as the PCL-M for veterans. This study provides initial evidence on the underlying symptom structure of secondary traumatic stress symptoms among spouses of traumatic event victims.

Preadolescent perceptions of challenging and difficult course activities and their motivational distinctions

The present research sought to determine if primary school students differentiate between classes that are challenging and those that are difficult, and how these distinctions relate to their motivation and achievement. Results indicated that there are three types of challenges/difficulties. Challenging classes are those that are demanding of the students but within their ability, are important and are tied to interests; students in these classes are more likely to adopt mastery goal orientations. Purely difficult classes are not valued, require a lot of effort, but are threatening to students’ efficacy. Classes that are difficult compared to others are those that are more demanding for the student than other students or other classes. These classes are not valued and are also seen as a threat to efficacy. Both purely difficult and difficult compared to others classes were negatively related to achievement, and students in these classes are more likely to adopt performance avoidance goal orientations.

Neural and psychological characteristics of college students with alcoholic parents differ depending on current alcohol use

&NA; A significant proportion of college students are adult children of an alcoholic parent (ACoA), which can confer greater risk of depression, poor self‐esteem, alcohol and drug problems, and greater levels of college attrition. However, some ACoA are resilient to these negative outcomes. The goal of this study was to better understand the psychobiological factors that distinguish resilient and vulnerable college‐aged ACoAs. To do so, scholastic performance and psychological health were measured in ACoA college students not engaged in hazardous alcohol use (resilient) and those currently engaged in hazardous alcohol use (vulnerable). Neural activity (as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging) in response to performing working memory and emotion‐based tasks were assessed. Furthermore, the frequency of polymorphisms in candidate genes associated with substance use, risk taking and stress reactivity were compared between the two ACoA groups. College ACoAs currently engaged in hazardous alcohol use reported more anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms, and increased risky nicotine and marijuana use as compared to ACoAs resistant to problem alcohol use. ACoA college students with current problem alcohol showed greater activity of the middle frontal gyrus and reduced activation of the posterior cingulate in response to visual working memory and emotional processing tasks, which may relate to increased anxiety and problem alcohol and drug behaviors. Furthermore, polymorphisms of cholinergic receptor and the serotonin transporter genes also appear to contribute a role in problem alcohol use in ACoAs. Overall, findings point to several important psychobiological variables that distinguish ACoAs based on their current alcohol use that may be used in the future for early intervention. HighlightsAdult children of alcoholic parents (ACoA) have increased risk for alcohol problems.ACoA with alcohol problems have poorer mental, physical and social health.Increased activity of middle frontal gyrus seen in ACoC with alcohol problems.Nicotinic subunit gene variants may increase risk for alcohol problems in ACoA.