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Fall newsletter
In this issue: winners from the Div. 19 writing contest cover dissociation, moral injury and suicide risk assessment; the new editor outlines goals; plans for upcoming conferences and more.
MEMBERSHIP
Join Division 19
President's Welcome
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Div. 19 website. We are a rapidly growing society with a diverse membership, including psychologists and social scientists from virtually every specialty area. We have active duty members and civilians employed in many different environments, including those working in the government, academia, research and clinical settings. We also have members in the private sector whose efforts are essential in furthering the goals of military psychology. Our members are united by a common interest – furthering knowledge related to military psychology. This includes everything from research to support evidence-based treatments, to applying psychological principles to a complex set of issues related to global security, to improving the quality of life for those on active duty, Department of Defense employees and their family members.
The Society for Military Psychology’s mission is threefold and includes:
- Advancing the science and practice of psychology within military organizations.
- Fostering professional development of psychologists and other professionals interested in the psychological study of the military through education, research and training.
- Supporting efforts to disseminate and apply scientific knowledge and state of the art advances in areas relevant to military psychology.
The Society for Military Psychology is dedicated to serving as the premier organization for the advancement of the psychological study of military organizations. Our values include focus on education, applied practice, ethical service, engagement of our membership and individual well-being.
To achieve our mission, the society strives to advance the science of military psychology; advance the practice of military psychology; foster engagement, participation and growth of our membership; conduct investment planning; and engage strategic partners.
I thank you for your interest in military psychology and wish you the very best in 2014.
Kathryn T. Lindsey, PhD
President, Society for Military Psychology
Get Involved
Membership is open to professionals and students with an interest in the goals and mission of the Division. Division 19 currently has the following categories: Fellow, Member, Affiliate, International Affiliate, and Student Affiliate.
Military Psychology Journal RSS Feed
Killing versus witnessing trauma: Implications for the development of PTSD in combat medics.
Killing in combat uniquely predicts elevated PTSD symptomatology among military veterans. This study investigated the effects of combat killing in a sample of 345 U.S. Army combat medics who had recently returned from operational deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan. Combat medics provide frontline medical care before, during, and after battles but also fight alongside other soldiers when under attack. Attempting to kill in combat was a significant predictor of PTSD symptomatology even after accounting for passively witnessing trauma in fellow soldiers. Medics may be well prepared to cope with the passive experiencing and witnessing of war-zone trauma, but may benefit from training to cope with the negative consequences of taking actions to kill. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)
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Functional impairment as a variable in adjustment post-combat.
This study examined how functional impairment relates to postcombat adjustment over time, controlling for the influence of combat exposure. Analyses used sequential random coefficient models to examine 2 hypotheses: a) combat exposure and functional impairment predict the change in posttraumatic stress, depression, and anger/aggression symptoms during the first year postcombat; and b) combat exposure and functional impairment at reintegration predict symptom scores at 1 year postdeployment. A Brigade Combat Team completed surveys at reintegration, 4 months, and 12 months after a 1-year deployment to Iraq. Soldiers reporting high functional impairment at reintegration had higher symptoms at both follow-up periods, and functional impairment was a significant predictor of symptoms at the last time point, even after accounting for the influence of combat exposure. There was also an interaction effect, such that functional impairment exacerbated the impact of combat exposure on posttraumatic stress and anger/aggression symptoms at 12 months postdeployment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)
03/30/14 3:00 pm
Confidentiality and mental health/chaplaincy collaboration.
Confidentiality can both facilitate and inhibit working relationships of chaplains and mental health professionals addressing the needs of service members and veterans in the United States. Researchers conducted this study to examine opportunities for improving integration of care within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Interviews were conducted with 198 chaplains and 201 mental health professionals in 33 DoD and VA facilities. Using a blended qualitative research approach, researchers identified several themes from the interviews, including recognition that integration can improve services; chaplaincy confidentiality can facilitate help seeking behavior; and mental health and chaplain confidentiality can inhibit information sharing and active participation on interdisciplinary teams. Cross-disciplinary training on confidentiality requirements and developing policies for sharing information across disciplines is recommended to address barriers to integrated service delivery. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)
03/30/14 3:00 pm