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Objective: The aim of this study was to examine major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed at age < 55 as predictors, and sex and race as potential moderators, of dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment. Method: Veterans (N = 4,800) aged ⩾ 56 years were grouped by psychiatric history, sex, and race. Hierarchical and stepwise regression were employed to determine significant predictors. Results: MDD and PTSD were associated with almost double the risk for developing dementia or cognitive impairment at age ⩾ 56. Sex, as a moderator, had small effects whereas race increased the risk almost twofold for Black veterans, given the presence of MDD history. Discussion: MDD and PTSD act as significant risk factors for dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment, and Black veterans, given a history of MDD, may be at an increased risk. An important endeavor for future research is to examine how this risk may vary across dementia subtypes and related conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure in conditions reflective of current clinical practice within the Veterans Health Administration. Method This study involved a retrospective review of 2030 charts. A total of 750 veterans from 10 U.S. states who received cognitive processing therapy or prolonged exposure in individual psychotherapy were included in the study (participants in cognitive processing therapy, N = 376; participants in prolonged exposure, N = 374). The main dependent variable was self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms as measured by total scores on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. The study used multilevel modeling to evaluate the absolute and relative effectiveness of both treatments and determine the relationship between patient-level variables and total Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist scores during treatment. Results Cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure were equally effective at reducing total Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist scores. Veterans who completed therapy reported significantly larger reductions in the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist than patients who did not complete therapy. There were no significant differences in the improvement of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms with respect to age and three racial/ethnic groups (Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic). Conclusions Cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure were shown to be effective in conditions highly reflective of clinical practice and with a highly diverse sample of veterans. Challenges related to dropout from trauma focused therapy should continue to be researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the results of a study on the criteria selection for American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited internships stratified by type of site and competitiveness. Examination of how criteria vary as a function of the competitiveness of sites.