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Psychotherapy delivered via telehealth technology is not an artifact of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Indeed, widespread, telehealth‐delivered, evidence‐based psychotherapy preceded the pandemic, as did randomized controlled noninferiority trials supporting this modality. It is, thus, not difficult to predict that telehealth will be an integral part of daily clinical life moving forward. With respect to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) specifically, there is a substantial number of studies on the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of evidence‐based treatments provided via videoconferencing. In this review, we delineate the literature establishing strong support for remote delivery of prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT); there is also promising support for written exposure therapy (WET) and trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF‐CBT). We also mention adjunctive and integrative modifications to better serve patients with PTSD. One such intervention, behavioral activation and therapeutic exposure (BATE), has several studies supporting telehealth delivery, whereas concurrent treatment of PTSD and substance use disorders using the PE protocol (COPE) and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT‐I) would benefit from further research. Integrating instrumental peer support into telehealth‐delivered PE shows promise in retaining patients in treatment. Finally, we provide ideas to maximize telehealth delivery effectiveness, explore future research directions, and discuss ways to advocate for the expansion of telehealth services from an equity perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Contemporary theories conceptualize the anniversary of a traumatic event as a trauma reminder capable of activating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The current study uses the cognitive stress and growth model to examine this model's usefulness in characterizing anniversary reactions. Method: Participants (N = 197) were MTurk workers who endorsed an "emotionally charged reaction on or near the anniversary of a tragic event." They completed assessments of PTSD, posttraumatic growth (PTG), sense of control, rumination, and trauma centrality. Results: Multiple regression analyses found both anniversary-related stress and PTSD symptoms were associated with similar factors with similar magnitude across both outcomes. Trauma centrality was uniquely associated with anniversary-related PTG. Conclusions: Anniversaries marked by stress are characterized by factors similar to PTSD generally, but growth-related reactions have different correlates compared to PTG outside the reaction. These findings suggest the anniversary period may be a time of self-reflection about the event and its impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigger warnings alert readers that upcoming themes may serve as trauma reminders. They have been proposed as an accommodation for individuals diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the context of higher education. Previous research has raised the concern that deploying and using trigger warnings can increase one's sense of trauma centrality, which in turn impedes posttraumatic adjustment. The current study tests the hypothesis that trauma centrality moderates the relationship between self-reported PTSD symptoms and positive trigger warning attitudes, such that those reporting comparatively high centrality and high symptomatology are most receptive to trigger warnings. Participants (n = 161) were trauma-exposed undergraduates who completed measures of trigger warning attitudes, PTSD symptoms, and trauma centrality. Results showed a significant moderating effect. Participants reporting the greatest levels of PTSD severity reported the most receptivity to trigger warnings. For those reporting the highest levels of trauma centrality, we saw high levels of trigger warning acceptability, regardless of PTSD levels reported. Even those who were experiencing few symptoms, but nevertheless understood their trauma as highly central to their identity, were highly receptive to trigger warnings. The finding adds empirical data to the understanding of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and trigger warning attitudes. Results have implications for the use of trigger warnings for trauma survivors in the context of higher education, indicating more research on how to address trauma on campus in a trauma-sensitive and evidence-based way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen increased attention to and motivation for addressing sexual violence. Physician sexual misconduct (PSM) represents a significant violation and abuse of power, with consequences for both patients and public trust in medicine. In the United States, the Federation of State Medical Boards released updated policies in 2020 imploring increased transparency and stronger punishments for PSM cases. This brief report presents an assessment of how transparent medical board websites are in disclosing PSM now 2 years after this policy paper. We reviewed the websites for all 50 states and Washington, DC, to examine how easily a consumer could find a list of board orders, profiles of licensees, and PSM case summaries. In total, 24 states provided a list of orders, and 21 states provided case summaries. Many barriers to finding clearly discussed PSM‐related information remain, including many outdated licensee profiles. Ideas for continued efforts to document and discuss PSM to help foster evidence‐based policy recommendations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the clinical significance of trauma anniversary reactions (ARs) but a dearth of empirical research on them, we conducted a qualitative study to identify major concepts deriving from interviews with those who endure ARs. Snowball sampling serendipitously recruited primarily women (N = 13) who endorsed ARs caused by interpersonal violence and related traumas. The resulting model detailed phases of experiences of ARs from the interviews conducted. Specifically, participants reported a waxing and waning of PTSD symptoms, and their experiences reflected major concepts of self-reflection, social connection, and making meaning of the trauma. We discuss ways results of this study could motivate future study, such as conceptualizing ARs from existential and logo-therapeutic traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Problem: Trigger warnings (TWs) are alerts before media signaling readers that upcoming material may serve as trauma reminders. In the context of campus sexual assault, some undergraduates have advocated for TWs in classrooms, which has led to polarized debate. As one of few empirical investigations into the issues, the present study explored predictors of TW advocacy that reflect presumed or hypothesized motivations for advocacy reflected in the debate. Method: Participants (n = 51) were traditional undergraduates who completed measures of TW attitudes, trait-like avoidance, posttraumatic stress, and institutional betrayal. Results: Results of a hierarchical linear regression revealed that institutional betrayal emerged as the only significant predictor among these factors (p = .023). Conclusions: The finding improves understanding of the context, potential motivations, future directions of investigation, and represents one of first few empirical contributions to the TW debate. It supports the conclusion that many students requesting TWs in classrooms are motivated, in part, by the belief that their educational institution has not proven trustworthy in valuing their safety and emotional wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic experiences that become self-defining impact posttraumatic outcomes, yet exact mechanisms are currently being studied. Recent research has used the Centrality of Event Scale (CES). However, the factor structure of the CES has been in question. We analyzed archival data (N = 318) split into homogenous groups of participants to examine whether the factor structure of the CES differed based on event type (bereavement vs. sexual assault) or by levels of PTSD (meeting clinical cut off score vs. group of lowest scorers). Exploratory factor analyses with subsequent confirmatory analyses revealed a single factor model in the bereavement group, sexual assault group, and the low PTSD group. A three-factor model emerged in the high PTSD group, with the factors’ themes matching previous findings. Event centrality appears to be a universal theme when people endure and process a diversity of adverse events. These distinct factors may illuminate pathways in the clinical syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anniversary reactions are an accepted part of bereavement, but recent research demonstrates that ARs can be seen across many traumatic events. The present study explores how constructivist theories could characterize ARs caused by the death of a loved one or sexual violence. N = 234 women answered questionnaires regarding their posttraumatic adjustment, meaning made of the trauma, trauma centrality, and social validation or invalidation of their trauma. Our data demonstrate that ARs are marked by statistically and clinically significant increases posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Participants in this study did not endorse significant posttraumatic growth during their AR. The women in the sexual violence group endorsed more social validation and invalidation as well as less meaning made of their trauma compared to the bereavement group. There were no group differences regarding trauma centrality. Results of this study provide empirical support for an understudied yet significant phenomenon and directions of future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines psychopathology class syllabi to assess if instructors are explicitly referencing destigmatization in their courses.We surveyed N = 31 instructors about their opinions on psychopathology classes being an avenue for redressing mental health stigma and qualitatively analyzed N = 29 syllabi to identify these explicit goals.Instructors generally believe these courses should redress stigma, that destigmatization should be a main course objective, and that they personally facilitate these discussions in their class. However, only 17% of syllabi had direct references to reducing stigma in their learning outcomes or course description.Principles of undergraduate education implore instructors to thoughtfully integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into their courses, including sensitive discussion of mental health and illness. We discuss possible reasons for the discrepancy between instructors’ voiced objectives and what is listed in their syllabi and offer ideas to make redressing stigma a more salient goal.Given the themes of psychopathology courses, these instructors are in a unique position to redress stigma regarding mental health. To make an instructor's goal of destigmatization salient, we implore them to list such goals in their syllabi, which our research found was not common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]