Yaakov Hoffman

The challenge of estimating PTSD prevalence in the context of ongoing trauma: The example of Israel during the Second Intifada

Many studies attempt to gauge population prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a major catastrophe. However, little is known about the validity of these estimates in the increasingly common situation of ongoing trauma. During the period of the Second Intifada in Israel, which involved frequent and widespread terrorist attacks, several studies generated estimates of PTSD prevalence in the Israeli population, but yielded widely discrepant findings. A number of focused surveys using symptom checklists estimated population prevalence of PTSD or probable PTSD diagnosis at about 9%. However a large population health study conducted during this same time period using a structured diagnostic interview yielded a very low estimated prevalence of PTSD (0.5%). We examine methodological differences that might account for these striking discrepancies. Inherent limitations of both checklist and structured interview methods may be especially problematic in the context of ongoing trauma. Findings regarding PTSD and associated factors obtained during ongoing trauma should be interpreted with caution.

Active Versus Passive Procedural Learning in Older and Younger Adults

Twenty-four older and 24 younger adults were compared on procedural learning tasks (i.e. Tower of Hanoi puzzle). Half of the participants in each group went through active training (i.e. standard administration), and the other half through passive training (i.e. followed instructions read to them). The effect of the different types of training was tested immediately and one week after training. In addition the different groups were tested on a more difficult version of the task. The results demonstrate that active training leads to better performance than passive training on the more difficult task. The magnitude of this advantage was consistent for both age groups. Furthermore, active training seems to leave more durable traces in memory than passive training. The effect of elaboration in procedural versus declarative memory is discussed with relation to the effect of age.

A Youthful Age Identity Mitigates the Effect of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms on Successful Aging

after controlling for covariates in step1,havingaclinicallevelofPTSD symptoms predicted lower successful aging (b ¼� 0.59, t(266) ¼� 5.76, p<0.0001),andayoungersubjective age predicted higher successful aging (b ¼ 0.01, t(266) ¼ 5.02, p<0.0001) in step 2. Finally, in step 3 the interaction betweenclinicallevel ofPTSD symptoms and subjective age was significant(b ¼0.01,t(266) ¼ 2.09,p ¼ 0.037). The model explained 27% variance of successful aging. We further explored the interaction by a computational procedure applying equations estimating effects when subjective age values are at � 1S D from the mean. 6 At a subjective age � 1 SD (i.e., an old subjective age), having a clinical level of PTSD symptoms was associated with a 0.74 point decrease in successful aging (b ¼ -0.74, t(266) ¼� 5.96, p <0.0001). However, at a subjective age level of þ1 SD (i.e., a young

Explicit Memory for Unattended Words The Importance of Being in the “No”

Recognition tests in which participants indicate whether they recognize items using binary yes/no response options have typically yielded “yes” responses at equal rates for unattended old items and new items. Because most responses to unattended stimuli in such tests are “no” responses, we reasoned that a closer examination of “no” responses might reveal memory for unattended items. We modified a classic paradigm to allow participants to indicate high and low levels of confidence in their responses. As in earlier studies, the overall proportion of “yes” responses did not differ between unattended old items and new items. However, there was a crossover effect in the “no” responses: More high-confidence “no” responses were given for new items than for unattended old items, whereas more low-confidence “no” responses were given for unattended old items than for new items. These results indicate explicit memory for unattended material presented under high perceptual load. Our findings suggest that the null effects obtained in previous studies may not have stemmed from failures of perception or memory, but rather may have been due to insufficiently sensitive memory assessment.

Dissociation Between Two Types of Skill Learning Tasks: The Differential Effect of Divided Attention

The proposed distinction between perceptual and conceptual skill-learning tasks was tested. Eighty participants were administered a cued recall task and two priming tasks, one perceptual (partial word-identification) and one conceptual (category production). Two skill-learning tasks were administered as well, one putative perceptual (mirror reading) and the other putative conceptual (Tower of Hanoi puzzle). Each task was performed by half of the participants under a full attention condition, and by the other half under a divided attention condition. Consistent with previous reports in the literature, divided attention did not interfere with the perceptual priming task, but did interfere with the conceptual priming and cued recall tasks. Dissociation was also observed for the skill-learning tasks. Divided attention did not affect either baseline performance or learning rate on the mirror reading task. However, on the Tower of Hanoi puzzle, divided attention did interfere with baseline performance, but contrary to prediction it did not interfere with learning rate. The differential effect of divided attention on the baseline performance in these two tasks was interpreted as supporting the distinction between conceptual and perceptual skill-learning tasks.

Psychological effects following the Iran nuclear deal: Iranian nuclear threat salience moderates the relationship between PTSD symptoms and sleep problems.

Following the July-14th, 2015 Iranian agreement, we examined if preoccupation with the threat of a nuclear Iran moderates the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and reported sleep problems in individuals exposed to the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict. While sleep problems were evident in individuals suffering from PTSD symptoms, they were especially pronounced when PTSD symptoms were coupled with increased Iranian nuclear threat salience. Preoccupation with future national threats may increase PTSD-related sleep problems. Therefore, it may be useful if such threats are accounted for in interventions aiming to ameliorate trauma-related sleep problems arising in the context of security situation.

The notion of contextual locking: Previously learnt items are not accessible as such when appearing in a less common context

We examined the effect of context on the learning of spatial coding in four experiments. Two partially overlapping sets of stimuli, which had the very same stimulus–response spatial coding, were presented in unique contexts. Results show contextual locking—that is, response times to the very same item in a more common context (80%) were significantly shorter than those in a less common context (20%). Contextual locking was obtained both when the context was more salient (Experiments 1 and 2) and less salient (Experiments 3 and 4). In addition, results were obtained even when contextualization seemed less necessary (Experiments 2 and 4). Binding of information to context is discussed in relation to chunking, transfer effects, and practical applications pertaining to professional training.

Complex PTSD and its correlates amongst female Yazidi victims of sexual slavery living in post-ISIS camps

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The effect of exposure to missile attacks on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms as a function of perceived media control and locus of control.

Exposure is one of the most robust predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in warfare situations. Yet, while many are sensitive to exposure, others do not develop PTSD. In the current study, we address how perceived media control along with external locus of control moderate effects of exposure on PTSD symptoms among 1268 individuals exposed to missile attacks (mean age=36.97). We expected that the coupling of low perceived media control, whereby one feels poor control over media consumption (an inability to stop), especially when irrelevant and non-informative (e.g., involuntarily viewing the same terror incident shown repeatedly in a looped fashion) along with a self-perception of external locus of control, will render participants highly vulnerable to exposure. As expected, results suggest that effects of exposure on PTSD are not automatic, rather, the coupling of both low media control along with believing that life event are controlled by external factors exacerbates effects of exposure. These findings bear practical implications, as both media control and locus of control can be modified by therapeutic interventions, rendering one less vulnerable to the detrimental effects of traumatic exposure.

Driving experience moderates the effect of implicit versus explicit threat priming on hazard perception test

Due to the controversial evidence regarding the efficacy of threat campaigns on driving behavior, we addressed the effects of explicit vs. implicit threats. As in other areas of advertisements, we hypothesized that an implicit threat would be more effective, i.e., generate more anxiety than an explicit threat. Furthermore, we hypothesized that such effects would be moderated by driving experience: more experienced drivers when threatened will rely on driving skills and perform in a less cautious manner vs. less experienced drivers who have not yet acquired these skills, and therefore will tend to calm their fear by exercising more caution. Driving behavior in this experimental design was addressed by the Hazard Perception (HP) task. Results were as expected. Anxiety was higher under implicit vs. explicit threat. HP scores however were overall the same for both groups. Implicit priming generated less-cautious behavior in high-experienced drivers while generating more caution for less-experienced drivers. Demonstrating in a single experiment all three driving patterns following threat, namely, no change in driving behavior (whole sample), more cautious driving behavior (less-experience) and less cautious behavior (more-experience), potentially comprises an important step in resolving the aforementioned disparity concerning effects of threat campaigns on driving behavior.