Kenna Bolton Holz

An exploratory examination of risk-taking behavior and PTSD symptom severity in a Veteran sample

The present study conducted an exploratory examination of the relationship between self-reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and an expanded definition of risk-taking behaviors among 395 veterans at a large Midwestern Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were associated with elevated rates of substance use, thrill seeking, aggression, risky sexual practices, and firearm possession. Results indicated that suicidal ideation and aggressive driving behavior were among the most frequently reported. The present findings hold significant public health implications and highlight the need to attend to risk-taking behaviors in treatment planning.

Testing a Model of Women's Personal Sense of Justice, Control, Well-Being, and Distress in the Context of Sexist Discrimination.

Popular media convey notions that the United States is a postfeminist culture, where sexism is a thing of the past and gender equality prevails. Empirical data suggest otherwise. Further, links between group-based discrimination and psychological distress have been well documented (e.g., in bisexual and gay Latino men, African Americans, Asian Americans). Less understood are mediating factors explaining these links. We hypothesized a theory-based, integrated path model of womens distress and well-being as predicted by sexist events, highlighting intermediate effects of womens beliefs about justice and control in their lives. Specifically, we hypothesized that the more a woman experiences sexist events, the less fair and just her life seems; in turn, she feels less control of her life and reports heightened mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, less well-being). Cross-sectional data from 264 women indicated that sexist events had indirect effects on all three mental health variables, as mediated by just world beliefs and personal control, in sequence. However, direct (nonmediated) effects of sexist events on mental health remained. Both mean levels and patterns of links among variables were similar for African American and European American women. Regarding intervention, a key feminist goal is connecting personal distress with power and context. Womens health may be enhanced by increasing awareness of links found here, supporting development of attributions for distress extending beyond personal problems to societal conditions, skills to enhance feelings of personal control in other areas of their lives, and connections to the history of womens empowered social action.

The role of men’s beliefs in shaping their response to a sexual violence prevention program.

Sexual violence prevention programs typically treat participants as roughly interchangeable, with a one-size-fits-all format. Adding to a growing body of research on men’s individual differences, this study utilized cluster analysis to group college men (N = 266) according to four pretest rape-related concerns: (a) personal legal concerns regarding accusations of rape, (b) sexual communication concerns, (c) the view that rape laws are unfair to men, and (d) personal concerns that alcohol may result in unintentional rape. Meaningful differences between clusters in rape myth acceptance and self-reported likelihood of raping emerged at pre- and posttest, as well as in amount of pre- to posttest change. Despite showing the greatest amount of change from pre- to posttest, the cluster of men characterized by all four concerns maintained the highest rape myth acceptance and self-reported likelihood of raping scores relative to the other clusters across time. This exploratory study lays the groundwork for future studies to directly evaluate whether measuring and addressing men’s rape-related concerns may eventually allow for more targeted and effective sexual violence prevention programs.