Perceived Demands During Modern Military Operations

Using a cross-sectional design, this study explored operational demands during the International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan (2009-2010) across distinct military units. A total of 1,413 Dutch soldiers, nested within four types of units (i.e., combat, combat support, service support, and command support units) filled out a 23-item self-survey in which they were asked to evaluate the extent to which they experienced operational characteristics as demanding. Exploratory factor analysis identified six underlying dimensions of demands.

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Persistence of stress sensitization following deployment in soldiers with a history of early life trauma

Background: Stress sensitization, i.e., increased responsiveness to stressful life events has been found in high trauma exposed adults within the first 18 months following trauma exposure (Smid et al., 2012) as well as in young children (Grasso, Ford, & Briggs-Gowan, 2012). However, it is unclear whether stress sensitization may persist over time. We hypothesized that soldiers exposed to high levels of early life trauma would be at risk of persistence of stress sensitization 2 years following deployment.

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Persistent mental health disturbances during the 10 years after a disaster: four-wave longitudinal comparative study

AIM: Although some studies have examined the long-term effects of disasters, very little is known about severe persistent symptoms following disasters. The aim of the present study was to examine persistent mental health problems and to what extent disaster exposure predicts long-term persistent disturbances.

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Neural pattern similarity predicts long-term fear memory

Although certain changes in the brain may reflect fear learning, there are no known markers that indicate whether an aversive experience will develop into fear memory. We examined the moment-to-moment dynamics of human fear learning by applying multi-voxel pattern analysis to single-trial blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging data. We found that the long-term behavioral expression of fear memory could be predicted from neural patterns at the time of learning.

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Measures and outcomes of a psychosocial group approach in Rwanda

Dit proefschrift betreft verschillende aspecten van een quasi-experimentele, longitudinale studie van een psychosociale groepsaanpak (sociotherapie) in Byumba, Noord-Rwanda. Hierbij is gekeken naar mentale gezondheid, sociaal functioneren, partner geweld en 'sociaal kapitaal', een begrip dat de mate uitdrukt van onderlinge verbondenheid binnen en tussen gemeenschappen, en dat mogelijk van belang is voor zowel maatschappelijk als mentaal herstel na grootschalig geweld.

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Memory traces of trauma : neurocognitive aspects of and therapeutic approaches for posttraumatic stress disorder

Dit proefschrift gaat over de 'sporen' die een traumatische ervaring in het geheugen heeft gegraveerd ('geheugensporen van trauma') als iemand PTSS heeft ontwikkeld.

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Linking post-disaster mental health to the erosion of social fabric

Psychische gevolgen na een natuurramp worden niet alleen bepaald door de traumatische ervaring zelf en de manier waarop individuen omgaan met de gevolgen van de ramp. Zij worden ook bepaald door de destructieve gevolgen van rampen op de context en de sociale gemeenschap waarin getroffen mensen wonen. Het is belangrijk deze complexe factoren te betrekken in rampen-onderzoek. Dit proefschrift wil aantonen dat het kruisvlak tussen individuele variabelen en determinanten in de rampgetroffen context bepaalt of mensen psychische problemen ervaren na een ramp.

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Job Stress and Dyadic Synchrony in Police Marriages: A Preliminary Investigation

Despite reports documenting adverse effects of stress on police marriages, few empirical studies focus on actual emotional behaviors of officers and spouses. In this preliminary investigation, 17 male police officers and their nonpolice wives completed daily stress diaries for 1 week and then participated in a laboratory-based discussion about their respective days. Conversations were video-recorded and coded for specific emotional behaviors reflecting hostility and affection, which are strong predictors of marital outcomes.

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Impaired fear inhibition learning predicts the persistence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Recent cross-sectional studies have shown that the inability to suppress fear under safe conditions is a key problem in people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current longitudinal study examined whether individual differences in fear inhibition predict the persistence of PTSD symptoms. Approximately 2 months after deployment to Afghanistan, 144 trauma-exposed Dutch soldiers were administered a conditional discrimination task (AX+/BX-). In this paradigm, A, B, and X are neutral stimuli.

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Interaction between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and traumatic childhood events predicts depression

Childhood trauma is associated with the onset and recurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD). The thermolabile T variant of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism (rs1801133) is associated with a limited (oxidative) stress defense. Therefore, C677T MTHFR could be a potential predictor for depressive symptomatology and MDD recurrence in the context of traumatic stress during early life.

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