The authors examined the effects of a methodological manipulation on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist's factor structure: specifically, whether respondents were instructed to reference a single worst traumatic event when rating PTSD symptoms. Nonclinical, trauma-exposed participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 PTSD assessment conditions: referencing PTSD symptoms to their worst trauma (trauma-specific group, n = 218) or to their overall trauma history in general (trauma-general group, n = 234). A 3rd group of non-trauma-exposed participants (n = 464) rated PTSD symptoms globally from any stressful event. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors show that the 4-factor PTSD model proposed by D. W. King, G. A. Leskin, L. A. King, and F. W. Weathers (1998; separating effortful avoidance and emotional numbing) demonstrated the best model fit for trauma-general and non-trauma-exposed participants. The 4-factor PTSD model proposed by L. J. Simms, D. Watson, and B. N. Doebbeling (2002; emphasizing a general dysphoria factor) demonstrated the best model fit for trauma-specific participants. Measurement invariance testing revealed that non-trauma-exposed participants were different from both trauma-exposed groups on factor structure parameters, but trauma groups were not substantially different from each other.

Investigated the relationship between selected personality measures and the initiation and maintenance of smoking behavior. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI) and a Smoking Behavior Questionnaire were administered to 955 students (603 females; 352 males). Smokers had significantly higher scores than Nonsmokers on the EPQ Extraversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism scales, and lower scores on the Lie Scale. Female Smokers had higher STPI Trait Anxiety scores than Nonsmokers, whereas male Smokers had lower anxiety scores than Nonsmokers. Female Current Smokers had lower Neuroticism and Trait Anxiety scores than Occasional and Ex-Smokers, and Ex-Smokers of both sexes had higher scores on the STPI Trait Curiosity scale than Current and Occasional Smokers. It was concluded that the initiation and maintenance of smoking behavior are influenced by different personality factors.

ABSTRACTIn substantial numbers of affected populations, disasters adversely affect well-being and influence the development of emotional problems and dysfunctional behaviors. Nowhere is the integration of mental and behavioral health into broader public health and medical preparedness and response activities more crucial than in disasters such as the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic. The National Biodefense Science Board, recognizing that the mental and behavioral health responses to H1N1 were vital to preserving safety and health for the country, requested that the Disaster Mental Health Subcommittee recommend actions for public health officials to prevent and mitigate adverse behavioral health outcomes during the H1N1 pandemic. The subcommittee's recommendations emphasized vulnerable populations and concentrated on interventions, education and training, and communication and messaging. The subcommittee's H1N1 activities and recommendations provide an approach and template for identifying and addressing future efforts related to newly emerging public health and medical emergencies. The many emotional and behavioral health implications of the crisis and the importance of psychological factors in determining the behavior of members of the public argue for a programmatic integration of behavioral health and science expertise in a comprehensive public health response.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:67–71)

The results suggest that there is a functional relation between posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol consumption. The study indicates that efforts to cope with traumatic stress symptoms may manifest in either increases or decreases in alcohol consumption.

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