Snyder’s hope theory defines hope as a cognitively based construct that consists of two components: agency, the willpower to achieve a goal, and pathways, the perceived ability to generate ways to achieve that goal. Hope has been consistently linked to positive outcomes in many life domains, including aspects of positive mental health. This chapter reviews the literature on hope and positive aspects of mental health, including specific findings regarding the impact of hope on subjective, psychological, and social well-being. It also explores findings regarding the potential moderating role of gender, age, race, ethnicity, culture, and other demographic factors on the influence of hope on well-being. Future directions on hope and well-being research are discussed as well.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals are at an elevated risk of trauma exposure and other negative mental and physical health outcomes. The present study examined the interaction between minority stressors, reported potentially traumatic events (PTEs), and suicide risk (i.e., ideation and behavior) in a TGD sample. A convenience sample of 155 self‐identified TGD individuals completed questionnaires assessing distal (e.g., gender‐related discrimination) and proximal (e.g., internalized transphobia) gender identity–related stressors, lifetime PTE history, and suicide risk. The results of a mediation analysis demonstrated that proximal stressors partially mediated the association between distal stressors and suicide risk, B = 1.12, t(152) = 3.72, p < .01, 95% CI [0.53, 1.72], and the results of a moderated mediation analysis showed that the interaction term was not significant, and that the number of PTEs did not moderate the mediation model that examined proximal stressors as a mediator of the association between distal stressors and suicide risk, F(3, 151) = 18.74, MSE = 0.75, R2 = 0.27, B = 0.07, t(151) = 0.89, p = .371, 95% CI [‐0.08, 0.21]. These findings suggest that minority stressors may contribute to suicide risk in a TGD population above and beyond the impact of trauma exposure. Risk reduction efforts for suicide risk may be enhanced by attending to minority stressors in addition to PTEs.

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Research has found that a majority of individuals, irrespective of gender, experienced their first intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization between the ages of 18 and 24 years. Indeed, researchers have found that college students' experiences of IPV are comparable if not higher than that of the general population. IPV victimization also places individuals at a higher risk for developing psychological conditions. In addition, when IPV experiences occur on college campuses, there are a variety of institutional factors that may impact the outcome of the traumatic event for the survivor. The present study seeks to examine whether institutional betrayal moderates the relationship between IPV and different psychological outcomes (i.e., depression, posttraumatic stress, anxiety). The study analyzed survey responses from a sample of 316 undergraduate students attending a Midwestern University. Three separate hierarchical regression analyses were conducted for each of the maladaptive psychological outcomes. Results showed that institutional

In adult populations, bipolar disorders (BDs) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have overlapping symptoms, potentially leading to misdiagnosis. This misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose both co‐occurring disorders can result in individuals not receiving the proper treatment to address their symptoms. This article highlights how trauma‐informed psychological assessment can assist in differential diagnosis and improve the timely delivery of appropriate treatments. The overlapping symptoms of PTSD and BD are discussed to assist in differential diagnosis, and we suggest guidelines for conducting trauma‐informed, evidence‐based assessments to help clarify these diagnoses.

Objective This study investigated whether a brief psychotherapy for post‐trauma nightmares (exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy [ERRT]), reduced suicidal ideation (SI). We hypothesized that: (a) nightmare frequency and severity, post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and sleep quality would be related to SI at pretreatment; (b) SI would decrease from pre‐ to post‐treatment; and (c) the decrease in SI would remain after controlling for change in PTSD and depression. Method Seventy‐five individuals exposed to a traumatic event and who experienced frequent nightmares (minimum one per week) participated in ERRT. Participants were not required to have a psychological diagnosis. Thirty percent endorsed SI at pretreatment. Results Depression and PTSD were related to SI at pretreatment. SI decreased following treatment; however, the third hypothesis was not supported. Conclusion Results suggest brief psychotherapy targeting post‐trauma nightmares may decrease SI. More research is necessary to determine what factors contribute to decreases in SI.

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