Natalie Mota

Physical punishment and mental disorders: results from a nationally representative US sample.

BACKGROUND: The use of physical punishment is controversial. Few studies have examined the relationship between physical punishment and a wide range of mental disorders in a nationally representative sample. The current research investigated the possible link between harsh physical punishment (ie, pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, hitting) in the absence of more severe child maltreatment (ie, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, exposure to intimate partner violence) and Axis I and II mental disorders. METHODS: Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions collected between 2004 and 2005 (N = 34 653). The survey was conducted with a representative US adult population sample (aged ≥20 years). Statistical methods included logistic regression models and population-attributable fractions. RESULTS: Harsh physical punishment was associated with increased odds of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug abuse/dependence, and several personality disorders after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and family history of dysfunction (adjusted odds ratio: 1.36–2.46). Approximately 2% to 5% of Axis I disorders and 4% to 7% of Axis II disorders were attributable to harsh physical punishment. CONCLUSIONS: Harsh physical punishment in the absence of child maltreatment is associated with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse/dependence, and personality disorders in a general population sample. These findings inform the ongoing debate around the use of physical punishment and provide evidence that harsh physical punishment independent of child maltreatment is related to mental disorders.

Harsh physical punishment in childhood and adult physical health

BACKGROUND: The use of physical punishment is controversial. No studies have comprehensively examined the relationship between physical punishment and several physical health conditions in a nationally representative sample. The current study investigated possible associations between harsh physical punishment (ie, pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, and hitting) in the absence of more severe child maltreatment (ie, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, and exposure to intimate partner violence) and several physical health conditions. METHODS: Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions collected in 2004 and 2005 (n = 34 226 in the current analysis). The survey was conducted with a representative US adult population sample (20 years or older). Eight past year physical health condition categories were assessed. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic variables, family history of dysfunction, and Axis I and II mental disorders. RESULTS: Harsh physical punishment was associated with higher odds of cardiovascular disease (borderline significance), arthritis, and obesity after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, family history of dysfunction, and Axis I and II mental disorders (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.20 to 1.30). CONCLUSIONS: Harsh physical punishment in the absence of child maltreatment is associated with some physical health conditions in a general population sample. These findings inform the ongoing debate around the use of physical punishment and provide evidence that harsh physical punishment independent of child maltreatment is associated with a higher likelihood of physical health conditions.

Perceived need for care, help seeking, and perceived barriers to care for alcohol use disorders in a national sample.

OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to examine the rates and correlates of help seeking, perceived need for care, and perceived barriers to care among people with an alcohol use disorder in a large nationally representative sample. METHODS Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions for persons 18 years and older (N=43,093). Three main groups were defined: people who sought help, people who perceived a need for care but did not seek help, and people who neither perceived a need nor sought help. RESULTS Almost one-third (N=11,843, or 28%) of survey respondents met DSM-IV criteria for a lifetime alcohol use disorder. Most individuals with an alcohol use disorder (81%) did not report seeking care or perceiving a need for help. Those who were younger, were married, had higher income, had higher education, and did not have an adverse general medical condition were significantly less likely to perceive a need for help or to seek help for an alcohol use disorder. Respondents who did not perceive a need for help or seek it were significantly less likely to have an additional axis I or axis II disorder. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge of the factors that influence perceived need for help could aid in developing interventions directed toward increasing the rates of help seeking among people with an alcohol use disorder. Regular screening for alcohol use disorders in primary health care settings is recommended.

Functional significance of a novel 7-factor model of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

BACKGROUND While posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the recently published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) are clustered into four factors, emerging confirmatory factor analytic studies suggest that this disorder is best characterized by seven symptom clusters, including re-experiencing, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, externalizing behaviors, and anxious and dysphoric arousal symptoms. To date, however, data are lacking regarding the relation between this novel model of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and measures of clinical significance in this population (e.g., functioning). METHODS Using data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a contemporary, nationally representative sample of 1484 U.S. veterans, we evaluated clinical and functional correlates of a novel 7-factor model of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms. RESULTS Differential patterns of associations were observed between DSM-5 PTSD symptom clusters, and psychiatric comorbidities, suicidal ideation, hostility, and functioning and quality of life. Anhedonia symptoms, in particular, were strongly related to current depression, as well as reduced mental functioning and quality of life. Externalizing behaviors were most strongly related to hostility, supporting the convergent validity of this construct. LIMITATIONS Cross-sectional design and employment of self-report measures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a more refined 7-factor model of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms may provide greater specificity in understanding associations with comorbid psychopathology, suicidal ideation, and functioning and quality of life in U.S. veterans. They further suggest that prevention and treatment efforts that target distinct aspects of the PTSD phenotype may be more effective in mitigating key clinical and functional outcomes in this population.

Associations between abortion, mental disorders, and suicidal behaviour in a nationally representative sample.

Objective: Most previous studies that have investigated the relation between abortion and mental illness have presented mixed findings. We examined the relation between abortion, mental disorders, and suicidality using a US nationally representative sample. Methods: Data came from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (n = 3310 women, aged 18 years and older). The World Health Organization-Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess mental disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria and lifetime abortion in women. Multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to examine associations between abortion and lifetime mood, anxiety, substance use, eating, and disruptive behaviour disorders, as well as suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. We calculated the percentage of respondents whose mental disorder came after the first abortion. The role of violence was also explored. Population attributable fractions were calculated for significant associations between abortion and mental disorders. Results: After adjusting for sociodemographics, abortion was associated with an increased likelihood of several mental disorders—mood disorders (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] ranging from 1.75 to 1.91), anxiety disorders (AOR ranging from 1.87 to 1.91), substance use disorders (AOR ranging from 3.14 to 4.99), as well as suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (AOR ranging from 1.97 to 2.18). Adjusting for violence weakened some of these associations. Forall disorders examined, less than one-half of women reported that their mental disorder had begun after the first abortion. Population attributable fractions ranged from 5.8% (suicidal ideation) to 24.7% (drug abuse). Conclusions: Our study confirms a strong association between abortion and mental disorders. Possible mechanisms of this relation are discussed.

Military sexual trauma in US veterans: results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of military sexual trauma (MST) among US veterans, identify sociodemographic and military characteristics of MST, and examine the relationships between MST and psychiatric comorbidities, functioning/quality of life, and mental health treatment utilization. METHOD Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a contemporary, nationally representative survey of 1,484 US veterans conducted September-October 2013. Poststratification weights were applied to analyses to permit generalizability of results to the US veteran population. Outcomes measured include history of MST, trauma histories, lifetime and current DSM-IV mental disorders, functioning and quality of life, and utilization of mental health treatment. RESULTS The overall prevalence of MST was 7.6% and was higher among female than male veterans (32.4% vs 4.8%) and younger than older veterans (22.8% among veterans aged 18-29 years vs 4.5% among veterans aged 60+ years). After adjustment for sociodemographic and military characteristics, MST was associated with elevated rates of current major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] range, 2.19-3.12); past history of suicide attempt (aOR = 2.78) and current suicidal ideation (aOR = 2.19); and decreased mental and cognitive functioning and quality of life (Cohen d, 0.23-0.38). MST was also associated with increased current utilization of psychotropic medication (aOR = 3.70) and psychotherapy or counseling (aOR = 2.41), independent of psychiatric morbidities. CONCLUSIONS 7.6% of US veterans screen positive for MST, with substantially higher rates among female and younger veterans. MST is associated with elevated rates of several psychiatric morbidities and suicidality, reduced functioning and quality of life, and increased mental health treatment utilization, independent of other sociodemographic, military, and mental health factors. These results suggest that MST is prevalent among US veterans and associated with elevated health burden. Findings can help inform efforts to identify at-risk veterans and characterize the concomitant health burden and needs associated with MST in this population.

The symptom structure of posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Replication Survey

Previous research has provided mixed findings for the validity of various three- and four-factor models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. However, much of this research has been restricted to clinical samples rather than nationally representative community-based samples. The current study employed confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the validity of three competing models of PTSD symptom structure using the DSM-IV-based National Comorbidity Replication Survey (part II of the NCS-R: N=5692). Individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD (N=588) were selected and symptom assessment was based on the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Strong support was found for both the DSM-IV three-factor model and a four-factor model of PTSD symptoms by King et al. [King, D. W., Leskin, G. A., King, L. A., & Weathers, F. W. (1998). Confirmatory factor analysis of the clinician-administered PTSD scale: evidence for the dimensionality of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Assessment,10, 90-96], a variation of the DSM-IV model in which avoidance and numbing are viewed as separate factors. There was some evidence, however, that the King et al. [King, D. W., Leskin, G. A., King, L. A., & Weathers, F. W. (1998). Confirmatory factor analysis of the clinician-administered PTSD scale: evidence for the dimensionality of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Assessment,10, 90-96] model demonstrated a significantly superior fit over the DSM-IV three-factor model. Because this study provided support for both the DSM-IV three-factor model and the King et al., four-factor model of PTSD symptoms, further research is still necessary to provide more definitive conclusions in this area.

The relationship between mental disorders, quality of life, and pregnancy: findings from a nationally representative sample.

BACKGROUND The present study examined health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and the prevalence of mental disorders in pregnant and past-year pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women. METHOD Data came from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Three groups of women (ages 18-44) were compared: currently pregnant (n=451), past-year pregnant (n=1061), and not pregnant (n=10,544). Past-year mood, anxiety and substance use disorders were assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV version. HRQOL was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-12). All analyses included sociodemographics as covariates. RESULTS Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that pregnant women were less likely than non-pregnant women to have depression and alcohol abuse or dependence; and less likely than past-year pregnant women to have depression and mania. Past-year pregnant women were less likely than non-pregnant women to have social phobia and alcohol dependence or abuse. Multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that pregnant and non-pregnant women had higher mental component scores than past-year pregnant women. Physical component scores were lower in pregnant women than in non-pregnant and past-year pregnant groups. LIMITATIONS This was a cross-sectional survey and the causality of relationships cannot be inferred. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that pregnant women have a lower likelihood of mental disorder than both non-pregnant and past-year pregnant women.

Stress and mental disorders in female military personnel: Comparisons between the sexes in a male dominated profession

The proportion of women in militaries is growing; however, many studies in the area of military mental health have been conducted with majority male samples. The present study examined sex differences in trauma exposure, work stress, and mental disorders in the Canadian Community Health Survey - Canadian Forces Supplement, a representative sample of 5155 regular force personnel and 3286 reservists ages 16-54. Past-year DSM-IV mental disorders (depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, PTSD, and alcohol dependence), lifetime exposure to 28 traumatic events, and work stress were assessed. Regular and reserve female personnel were less likely than males to experience deployment-related traumas, accidents, and several events involving violence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] range 0.10-0.62). Women were more likely to endorse sexual trauma, partner abuse, and being stalked (AOR range 3.60-13.63). For work stress, regular force women reported higher levels of job demand and stress around social support than men, whereas regular and reserve force women reported less physical exertion. After adjusting for a range of covariates, regular female personnel were more likely than males to have PTSD (AOR 1.88, 99% CI 1.01-3.50), while reservist women were more likely than men to have depression, panic disorder, and any mood or anxiety disorder (AOR range 1.87-6.98). Both regular and reservist women had lower rates of alcohol dependence (AOR range 0.30-0.34). Clinicians working with female personnel should screen for trauma/stressors and mental disorders that are particularly common in this population.

LONGITUDINAL COURSE OF POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH AMONG U.S. MILITARY VETERANS: RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCE IN VETERANS STUDY.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is increasingly recognized as an important psychosocial phenomenon, but few studies have evaluated the longitudinal course of PTG. This study identified courses of PTG over a 2‐year period in a contemporary, nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans, and examined sociodemographic, military, trauma, medical, and psychosocial predictors of PTG course.