Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation: Outcomes in Veterans with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Common Comorbid Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Objectives/hypothesis: Veterans have an increasing prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and high levels of intolerance to positive airway pressure (PAP). The hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS) is a promising alternative surgical treatment for OSA in these patients, many of whom suffer from mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that may negatively affect their ability to use PAP. Our aims were: 1) to assess postoperative changes in OSA severity and sleepiness in a veteran only population after HNS; 2) to compare postoperative changes in OSA severity, sleepiness and HNS adherence between veterans with and without PTSD; and 3) to compare HNS adherence in our population to HNS adherence in the current literature as well as published PAP adherence data.

A Two-Session Hierarchy for Shaping Successive Approximations of Speech in Selective Mutism: Pilot Study of Mobile Apps and Mechanisms of Behavior Change.

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder marked by withdrawal of speech in particular social situations. Treatment is often difficult, requiring attention to several characteristics particular to the disorder. Therapeutic tools and activities such as games and mobile applications (apps) may be particularly advantageous to behavioral therapy for SM.

A review of sleep disturbance in children and adolescents with anxiety.

The present review examines the relations between sleep disturbance and anxiety in children and adolescents. The review begins with a detailed discussion of normative developmental trends in sleep, and the relation between sleep quality and emotion dysregulation in children. The extant literature on sleep disturbance in clinically anxious children with a focus on subjective versus objective measures of sleep is then summarized in detail.

Response to Cognitive Processing Therapy in Veterans With and Without Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Recent studies have called attention to the need for enhancing treatment outcome in trauma-focused psychotherapies, such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT), with veterans. Given the prevalence of posttraumatic-related sleep disturbances, and the role of sleep in emotional learning and processing, sleep quality may be a target for improving CPT outcome. Elevated rates of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been reported in samples of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, the impact of OSA on response to CPT is unclear.

An examination of psychopathology and daily impairment in adolescents with social anxiety disorder.

Although social anxiety disorder (SAD) is most often diagnosed during adolescence, few investigations have examined the clinical presentation and daily functional impairment of this disorder exclusively in adolescents. Prior studies have demonstrated that some clinical features of SAD in adolescents are unique relative to younger children with the condition. Furthermore, quality of sleep, a robust predictor of anxiety problems and daily stress, has not been examined in socially anxious adolescents.

A randomized trial of attention training for generalized social phobia: does attention training change social behavior?

The use of attention training protocols for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) is undergoing increased examination. Initial investigations were positive but more recent investigations have been less supportive of the treatment paradigm. One significant limitation of current investigations is overreliance on self-report.

Social anxiety and social cognition: the influence of sex.

Current theoretical models predict a negative relationship between social anxiety and performance on measures of social cognition, yet there appears to be relatively little research that directly examines this relationship and the potential interaction of sex. Two samples of undergraduates self-reporting either a high (n=27; 59% female) or low (n=29; 62% female) level of social anxiety on the abbreviated Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory completed two social cognition measures: the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (Eyes Test) and The Awareness of Social Inference Test-Parts 2 and 3). A multivariate analysis of variance revealed a significant group by sex interaction on overall social cognition performance.