Journal of clinical psychology
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We examined the association between retrospective reports of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and painful medical conditions. We also examined the mediating and moderating roles of mood and anxiety disorders in the ACEs-painful medical conditions relationship. ⋯ There are pernicious effects of ACEs across mental and physical domains. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress response and the theory of reserve capacity are reviewed to integrate our findings of the complex relationships.
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Although developed for adults, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-Short Version (DASS-21) has been used in many research studies with adolescent samples. Evidence as to the applicability of the DASS subscale scores to represent the distinct states of depression, anxiety, and stress as experienced by adolescents is mixed, and the age at which it may be possible to differentiate these 3 states using the DASS-21 has not yet been determined. ⋯ The DASS-21 can be reliably used to measure general distress in adolescents, but the subscales fail to discriminate between the 3 states. Our results indicate that this lack of discrimination does not reduce with increasing age. These findings caution against the use of adult theoretical models and measures within adolescent populations.
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Although the majority of rape survivors do not label their experiences as rape (i.e., unacknowledged rape), the literature is mixed in terms of how this affects survivors' psychological functioning. To elucidate the discrepancies, the present study examined the interaction between rape acknowledgement and ambivalent sexism in relation to depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. ⋯ The clinical implications suggest that rather than seeing acknowledging rape as essential to the recovery process, clinicians should assess for and take into account other factors that may contribute to psychological functioning. Additionally, the findings support that more complex models of trauma recovery should be investigated with the goal of working toward a more comprehensive understanding of the longitudinal process of rape acknowledgment.
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This article presents the use of a transdiagnostic, emotion-focused treatment with a young woman with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The patient also presented with subclinical depressive, posttraumatic stress, and eating disorder symptoms. ⋯ She also reported moderate reductions in her anxiety disorder symptoms. This case illustration demonstrates how a short-term, transdiagnostic treatment approach can be flexibly applied to a variety of problems maintained by aversive and avoidant reactions to intense emotion.
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The word "immigration" has become a household buzzword. The welcome sign on the Statue of Liberty that reads, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," however, is fading and has been replaced by many complicated conditions. ⋯ This article offers an overview of immigration law, the challenges of performing culturally competent assessments and consequences of failing to do so, and the plight of a particularly vulnerable group: unaccompanied children. Vignettes offer a personal look into the proceedings of 7 undocumented individuals in 4 major areas: asylum, hardship, U-Visa, and VAWA.