Publications by authors named "Lex L Merrill"

Patterns of healthcare use in a sample of young adults entering the US Navy (N=1137) were examined in a longitudinal survey study. Baseline data provided information about healthcare use as a civilian, whereas follow-up data were used to examine changes in patterns of use over time following entry into the Military Health System (MHS). Entrance into the MHS was marked by increased use of preventive care.

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The U.S. Navy Sexual Assault Intervention Training (SAIT) program for women was evaluated in a randomized clinical trial.

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A randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Navy Sexual Assault Intervention Training (SAIT) program for men. A four-group Solomon design was used to control for possible pretest sensitization effects. Male Navy personnel (N = 1,505) were assessed for rape knowledge, rape myth acceptance (two scales), and rape empathy after participating in the SAIT program or viewing an educational video about HIV/AIDS (comparison condition).

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Objective: Although the intergenerational transmission of family violence has been well documented, the mechanisms responsible for this effect have not been fully determined. The present study examined whether trauma symptoms mediate the relationship between a childhood history of child physical abuse (CPA) and adult CPA risk, and whether any such mediation was similar for women and men.

Method: Female and male US Navy (USN) recruits (N=5,394) and college students (N=716) completed self-report measures of their history of child abuse (i.

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This study examined the frequency and characteristics of repeated attempted and completed rape (ACR) incidents reported by newly enlisted male navy personnel (N=1146) who participated in a longitudinal study during the transition from civilian to military life. Overall, 13% (n=144) reported engaging in sexual behavior that approximates legal definitions of ACR since the age of 14. Among those men, most (71%) reperpetrated ACR incidents (M = 6.

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Female (n = 5,226) and male (n = 5,969) U.S. Navy recruits completed a survey assessing their premilitary histories of adult sexual assault (SA), defined as attempted or completed rape since the age of 14.

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A prospective study examined whether adult premilitary sexual victimization predicted women's military attrition. In a survey of female Navy recruits (N = 2,431), 56% reported some form of adult unwanted sexual contact before entering the military, with 25% reporting completed rape. Approximately one-third of respondents left the Navy before completing their 4-year term of service.

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Individuals in the military are often required to endure high levels of stress as a result of demanding operational requirements or deployments. Individuals who enter the military with pre-existing mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are likely to be at heightened risk of adverse reactions to military stressors. The present study documents the prevalence of PTSD symptoms among new Navy recruits and compares the prevalence of PTSD symptomology among recruits to prevalence rates that have been reported for comparable civilian populations.

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A prospective study of U.S. Navy recruits (N = 5,498) examined whether premilitary intimate partner violence (IPV) was associated with attrition.

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A longitudinal design was used to compare rates of severe intimate partner violence (SIPV) perpetration during the year before enlistment and the second year of service in a sample of 542 female and 421 male Navy personnel. Overall, 11% reported perpetration of SIPV during the year before service. Premilitary SIPV perpetration rates were significantly higher for women (20%) than for men (4%).

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In a prospective study of U.S. Navy recruits (n = 5,491), we examined the relationship between childhood exposure to family violence (child physical abuse, child sexual abuse [CSA], and domestic violence) and attrition.

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This study examined psychosocial characteristics of individuals at risk for perpetrating both intimate partner violence (IPV risk) and child physical abuse (CPA risk). The sample consisted of 775 female and 592 male Navy recruits. The psychosocial variables assessed included symptoms of dysphoria, posttraumatic stress, self-dysfunction, alcohol-related problems, and drug use.

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The authors proposed and tested a model describing distinct pathways through which childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may lead to relatively low or high numbers of sexual partners in adulthood. Path analyses were conducted on survey responses of young female US Navy recruits who reported CSA (N=547). Use of avoidant strategies to cope with CSA was expected to produce higher levels of sexual problems and fewer heterosexual sex partners, whereas use of self-destructive coping strategies was expected to result in more dysfunctional sexual behavior and more heterosexual sex partners.

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Child maltreatment in the United States has provoked considerable interest in recent years. Child abuse and neglect are prevalent in all parts of American society. Although children of military personnel experience maltreatment, little research has been completed that compares child abuse rates in the military with those for civilian populations.

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This study explored how specific childhood sexual experiences (CSEs) might be related to self-identification as a victim of sexual abuse and to gender differences in self-defined victimization. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship of demographic and CSE characteristics with self-definitions. The characteristics most strongly associated were threats-force, incest, and younger age at the time of the experience.

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