Modification of the association between serotonin transporter genotype and risk of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults by county-level social environment.

Although both genetic factors and features of the social environment are important predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are few data examining gene-social environment interactions in studies of PTSD. The authors examined whether features of the social environment (county-level crime rate and unemployment) modified the association between the serotonin protein gene (SLC6A4) promoter variant (5-HTTLPR) and risk of current PTSD in a sample of 590 participants from the 2004 Florida Hurricane Study. Interviews conducted in 2005 were used to obtain individual-level risk factor measures and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, PTSD diagnoses.

Variant in RGS2 moderates posttraumatic stress symptoms following potentially traumatic event exposure.

Polymorphisms in the RGS2 (regulator of G-protein signaling 2) gene were found to be associated with anxious behavior in mice and anxiety in humans. We examined whether rs4606, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of RGS2, and social support moderated risk for PTSD in an epidemiologic sample. The study examines 607 adults from the 2004 Florida Hurricanes study who returned buccal DNA samples via mail.

Relations among gender, violence exposure, and mental health: the national survey of adolescents.

Using a nationally representative sample of 4,008 adolescents, this study examines gender differences in violence exposure, major depressive episode (MDE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and characteristics of violence incidents. It was hypothesized that there would be gender differences in the types of violence exposure reported and in the prevalence of MDE and PTSD and that gender would moderate the relationship between violence exposure and mental health outcomes. Results indicated significant gender differences in rates of violence exposure, PTSD, and MDE.

Trauma-related risk factors for substance abuse among male versus female young adults.

Clinical efforts to reduce risk for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) among young adults rely on the empirical identification of risk factors for addictive behaviors in this population. Exposure to traumatic events and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have been linked with SUDs in various populations. Emerging data, particularly from adolescent samples, suggest that traumatic event exposure increases risk for SUDs for young women, but not young men.

Service utilization and help seeking in a national sample of female rape victims.

Objective: Many women with mental health problems do not seek help. Despite substantial research on predictors of help seeking, little is known about factors associated with help seeking in at-risk populations (for example, rape victims). This study examined various forms of help seeking for emotional problems in relation to key variables in a national sample of female rape victims.

RGS2 and generalized anxiety disorder in an epidemiologic sample of hurricane-exposed adults.

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common and sometimes disabling condition often associated with stressful life events that involve significant loss or danger. The disorder appears moderately heritable. Polymorphisms in the RGS2 (regulator of G-protein signaling 2) gene were recently associated with anxious behavior in mice and panic disorder and trait anxiety in humans.

A Preliminary Examination of Thought Suppression, Emotion Regulation, and Coping in a Trauma Exposed Sample.

Attempts to modulate negative emotional and cognitive symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be related to psychopathology. Trauma exposed undergraduates, 31 reporting severe PTSD symptoms (PTSD group) and 34 without PTSD symptoms (no-PTSD group), completed measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, thought control, emotion regulation, and coping. The PTSD group had greater psychopathology and overall modulation strategy use than the no-PTSD group.

Emotional Reactions During and After Trauma: A Comparison of Trauma Types.

Peri- and posttraumatic emotional responses have been understudied, and furthermore, have rarely been compared among trauma types. The current study compared college students' retrospective self-reports of peri- and posttraumatic responses of fear, shame, guilt, anger, and sadness among four types of traumatic events: sexual assault, physical assault, transportation accident, and illness/injury. Overall emotional responding was generally high for all trauma types, and for those in the sexual assault group, emotion increased sharply from the peri- to posttraumatic time-point.

Genetics of post-traumatic stress disorder: informing clinical conceptualizations and promoting future research.

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of genetic research involving post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). First, we summarize evidence for genetic influences on PTSD from family investigations. Second, we discuss the distinct contributions to our understanding of the genetics of PTSD permitted by twin studies.

Gene-environment interaction in posttraumatic stress disorder: review, strategy and new directions for future research.

The purpose of this article is to encourage research investigating the role of measured gene-environment interaction (G x E) in the etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is uniquely suited to the study of G x E as the diagnosis requires exposure to a potentially-traumatic life event. PTSD is also moderately heritable; however, the role of genetic factors in PTSD etiology has been largely neglected both by trauma researchers and psychiatric geneticists.

Emotion regulation and anxiety disorders.

Recent attention has been given to the role of emotion regulation in the development and maintenance of psychopathology. Gross [Gross, J. J.

An acute post-sexual assault intervention to prevent drug abuse: updated findings.

Sexual assault and rape routinely produce extreme distress and negative psychological reactions in victims. Further, past research suggests that victims are at increased risk of developing substance use or abuse post-rape. The post-rape forensic medical exam may itself exacerbate peritraumatic distress because it includes cues that may serve as reminders of the assault, thereby potentiating post-assault negative sequelae.

Suppression of neutral and trauma targets: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Recent findings suggest that thought suppression may lead to increased intrusive thoughts for trauma survivors, paradoxically increasing symptoms. Participants with trauma history, 31 with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 34 without PTSD, engaged in neutral white bear and trauma suppression tasks. A group difference was found for the trauma task and not for the neutral task.