Rose Marie Ward

Posttraumatic Stress as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Trauma and Mental Health Problems Among Juvenile Delinquents

This study investigated the interrelationships among trauma exposure, PTSD, and mental health problems in a sample of 289 adolescents (199 male, 90 female) detained in a juvenile correctional facility. Mean differences were found in that females scored higher than males on measures of interpersonal trauma exposure and symptoms of both simple and complex PTSD. Females also endorsed more mental health problems in the areas of depression/anxiety, somatic complaints, and suicidal ideation. For all youth, trauma exposure, PTSD, and mental health problems were correlated. Results of structural equation modeling were consistent with the hypothesis that PTSD mediates the relationship between interpersonal trauma and mental health problems for all youth, although the results were stronger for females.

Substance Use and PTSD Symptoms Impact the Likelihood of Rape and Revictimization in College Women

The present study utilized a mixed retrospective and prospective design with an 8-month follow-up period to test a model of revictimization that included multiple childhood (i.e., child sexual, physical, and emotional abuse) and situational variables (i.e., substance use, sexual behavior) for predicting rape among 276 college women. It was of particular interest to determine whether traumatic responses (e.g., posttraumatic symptomatology or risky behavior) increased vulnerability for revictimization. During the 8-month follow-up period, 9% of participants were raped; 88% of assaults involved substance use by the victim. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology predicted rape, substance use, and sexual behavior. Substance use, but not sexual behavior, mediated the relation between PTSD symptomatology and rape during the follow-up period. Sexual behavior indirectly impacted risk for rape via substance use. Results suggest that college women with PTSD symptomatology may be at greater risk for rape if they use substances to reduce distress.

The role of substance use and emotion dysregulation in predicting risk for incapacitated sexual revictimization in women: results of a prospective investigation.

Incapacitated sexual assault (ISA) is the most common form of sexual victimization experienced by college women. Although ISA victims are at risk for future assaults, few studies have examined mechanisms responsible for ISA revictimization besides heavy drinking. Using a prospective design, the present study examined whether emotion dysregulation, given its association with interpersonal trauma and substance use, increases risk for revictimization among women with a history of ISA above and beyond the effects of substance use. Female college students (n = 229) completed a baseline assessment followed by assessment of incapacitated sexual assault over a 9-week follow-up period. Approximately 36% of participants reported a history of ISA, and 73% of those victimized during the study had a history of ISA. Revictimized women reported higher levels of alcohol-related problems, greater marijuana use, greater emotion dysregulation, and higher levels of fear and guilt prior to experiencing ISA during the study; however, they did not consume more alcohol than previously victimized women. In a logistic regression analysis, guilt, emotion dysregulation, and marijuana use accurately classified 78.9% of ISA revictimized women. Women with a history of ISA are at substantial risk for ISA revictimization. Findings suggest that even very small increases in emotion dysregulation, particularly in impulsivity, as well as marijuana use, impact revictimization risk substantially. Efficacy of interventions to reduce ISA revictimization may be improved if emotion dysregulation is addressed.

Sexual orientation and disordered eating behaviors among self-identified male and female college students

This study compared the risk of a) clinically diagnosed eating disorders, and b) disordered eating behaviors, separately among three groups of United States college students, controlling for known covariates. These groups included college students self-identifying as: 1) gay/lesbian; 2) bisexual; and, 3) unsure, with self-identified heterosexuals as the reference. Data from the American College Health Associations National College Health Assessment II (2008-2009) were utilized (N=110,412). Adjusted logistic regression analyses, stratified by self-reported gender, examined the effect of self-identified sexual identity on clinical eating disorder diagnosis and disordered eating behaviors. Covariates included self-reported binge drinking (past 2 weeks), stress (last 12 months), smoking (past 30 days), depression (past 12 months), fraternity/sorority membership, college athletics participations, and race. Additional logistic regression sub-analyses examined sexual minorities only, with gay/lesbian as the referent. Gay, unsure, or bisexual men were at significantly increased odds to report both clinical eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors when compared to heterosexual men in both the unadjusted and adjusted models (p<.002). All sexual minority men and women were significantly more likely to report dieting to lose weight compared to heterosexual men and women (p<.002). Targeted disordered eating and eating disorder prevention efforts are needed for those who are sexual minorities, particularly for sexual minority men.

Examining the moderating role of social norms between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in college students.

Body dissatisfaction is a well-replicated risk factor for disordered eating, yet not all individuals with body dissatisfaction exhibit disordered eating. This study examined the role of perceptions of social norms on the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Perceptions of descriptive and injunctive peer norms, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating were examined in a non-clinical sample of college men and women using cross-sectional survey methods. For women, perceptions of the injunctive norms of peer thinness and peer acceptability moderated the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating with an additive effect; perceptions of the descriptive norm peer prevalence of disordered eating behaviors did not. In men, norms did not moderate the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Endorsement of injunctive norms is associated with reported disordered eating in women with high body dissatisfaction. Norm-based interventions may be best suited for women with high body dissatisfaction.

Deconstructing PTSD: Traumatic Experiences, Posttraumatic Symptom Clusters, and Mental Health Problems among Delinquent Youth

This study investigated interrelations among trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters, and mental health problems among adjudicated adolescents. Girls scored higher than boys on measures of exposure to interpersonal trauma, PTSD symptom clusters, and mental health problems. Results of path analyses were consistent with the hypothesis that PTSD symptom clusters differentially mediate the relations between trauma exposure and mental health problems, with unique patterns of results for boys and girls. For all youth, avoidance mediated the association between trauma and internalizing symptoms whereas reexperiencing and arousal acted as mediators of externalizing. However, for boys only, noninterpersonal traumas also were related to PTSD symptoms, which in turn acted as mediators of internalizing. For girls only, reexperiencing and arousal acted as mediators of internalizing and associated symptoms of PTSD acted as a mediator of externalizing.

Number of sexual partners and sexual assertiveness predict sexual victimization: do more partners equal more risk?

In previous studies, number of sexual partners and sexual assertiveness were examined as independent risk factors for sexual victimization among college women. Using a sample of 335 college women, this study examined the interaction of number of sexual partners and sexual assertiveness on verbal sexual coercion and rape. Approximately 32% of the sample reported unwanted sexual intercourse, 6.9% (n = 23) experienced verbal sexual coercion, 17.9% (n = 60) experienced rape, and 7.2% (n = 24) experienced both. As number of sexual partners increased, instances of verbal sexual coercion increased for women low in relational sexual assertiveness but not for women high in relational sexual assertiveness. A similar relationship was not found for rape. Among women who experienced both verbal sexual coercion and rape, increases in number of partners in the context of low refusal and relational assertiveness were associated with increases in verbal sexual coercion and rape. Findings suggest sexual assertiveness is related to fewer experiences of sexual coercion.

Modeling meaningful learning in chemistry using structural equation modeling

Ausubel and Novaks construct of meaningful learning stipulates that substantive connections between new knowledge and what is already known requires the integration of thinking, feeling, and performance (Novak J. D., (2010), Learning, creating, and using knowledge: concept maps as facilitative tools in schools and corporations, New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.). This study explores the integration of these three domains using a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. A tripartite model was developed to examine meaningful learning through the correlational relationships among thinking, feeling, and performance using student responses regarding Intellectual Accessibility and Emotional Satisfaction on the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory version 2 (ASCI V2) and performance on the American Chemical Society exam. We compared the primary model to seven alternatives in which correlations were systematically removed in order to represent a lack of interconnectedness among the three domains. The tripartite model had the strongest statistical fit, thereby providing statistical evidence for the construct of meaningful learning. Methodological issues associated with SEM techniques, including problems related to non-normal multivariate distributions (an assumption of traditional SEM techniques), and causal relationships are considered. Additional findings include evidence for weak configural invariance in the pre/post implementation of the ASCI(V2), mainly due to the poor structure of the pretest data. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for teaching and learning.

Emotion Dysregulation and Drinking to Cope as Predictors and Consequences of Alcohol-Involved Sexual Assault Examination of Short-Term and Long-Term Risk

The present study examined emotion dysregulation, coping drinking motives, and alcohol-related problems as predictors and consequences of alcohol-involved sexual assault (AISA). A convenience sample of 424 college women completed confidential surveys on paper and online. Data were collected at baseline (T1), weekly for 10 weeks (T2-10), and at 1 year (T11). The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among variables were examined in a cross-lagged panel model. Within each time point, all variables were correlated. Drinking to cope and emotion dysregulation predicted AISA in the short term (within 10 weeks), alcohol problems increased risk for AISA in the long term (within 1 year), and AISA history predicted AISA revictimization regardless of time frame. Drinking to cope and alcohol-related problems predicted future victimization, but their impact seems to fluctuate over time. Coping drinking motives were both a predictor and consequence of AISA, suggesting a cyclical pattern. However, additional analyses indicated that coping drinking motives and alcohol problems might act as suppressors in the model. Overall, findings indicate that interventions focused on improving emotion regulation skills may decrease short-term risk for AISA.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors in high school and NCAA division I football players.

Abstract Steffes, GD, Megura, AE, Adams, J, Claytor, RP, Ward, RM, Horn, TS, and Potteiger, JA. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors in high school and NCAA Division I football players. J Strength Cond Res 27(7): 1749–1757, 2013—Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) is a clustering of metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of MetSyn risk factors in high school (HS) and college (College) football players and to examine if the prevalence varied according to body fat percent (%Fat). One hundred twenty-three males (height 179.0 ± 6.7 cm; weight 89.4 ± 19.6 kg) from 7 different high schools and 82 males (height 186.2 ± 6.8 cm; weight 99.6 ± 16.8 kg) from one university participated. All testing occurred in the early morning after an overnight fast. %Fat, waist circumference, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and blood glucose were determined using standard testing procedures. The MetSyn risk factor levels were determined using American Heart Association criteria. Subjects were grouped by position and playing level (HS, College). Independent t-tests, chi-square analysis, 2-way analysis of variance, and path analytic models were used in the statistical analysis. Significance was set at p < 0.05. 6.8% (n = 14) of the sample met the American Heart Association criteria for MetSyn. Offensive and defensive linemen accounted for 92.3% of the players meeting MetSyn criteria with each playing level (HS, College) having 7 subjects. The MetSyn criteria differed significantly across %Fat. Obese players were more likely to meet the criteria for MetSyn. %Fat was a statistically significant predictor of mean arterial blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and waist circumference. The MetSyn exists in both HS- and College-level football players, with almost all cases occurring in the athletes with the highest levels of %Fat (offensive/defensive lineman). Strength and conditioning coaches should be aware of the prevalence of MetSyn risk factors in offensive and defensive linemen and take appropriate actions to ensure athlete safety.