Browsing by Author "Asmundson, Gordon J. G."

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Open Access
Daily survey participation and positive changes in mental health symptom scores among Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets
(Frontiers, 2023-08-04) Shields, Robyn E.; Teckchandani, Taylor A.; Asmundson, Gordon J. G.; Nisbet, Jolan; Krakauer, Rachel L.; Andrews, Katie L.; Maguire, Kirby Q.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Afifi, Tracie O.; Lix, Lisa M.; Brunet, Alain; Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Krätzig, Gregory P.; Neary, J. Patrick; Sareen, Jitender; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Introduction: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers self-report high levels of mental health disorder symptoms, such as alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Participation in regular mental health monitoring has been associated with improved mental health disorder symptom reporting and may provide an accessible tool to support RCMP mental health. The current study assessed relationships between self-reported mental health disorder symptoms and the completion of daily surveys (i.e., daily mental health disorder symptom monitoring) by RCMP cadets during the Cadet Training Program (CTP). Methods: Participants were RCMP cadets (n = 394; 76.1% men) in the Standard Training Program who completed the 26-week CTP and daily self-monitoring surveys, as well as full mental health assessments at pre-training (i.e., starting the CTP) and pre-deployment (i.e., ~2 weeks prior to deployment to the field). Symptoms of alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder were assessed. Changes in mental health disorder symptom reporting from pre-training to pre-deployment were calculated. Spearman’s rank correlations were estimated for number of daily surveys completed and change in mental health disorder symptom scores between pre-training and pre-deployment. Results: There were statistically significant inverse relationships between number of daily surveys completed and number of mental health disorder symptoms reported; specifically, cadets who completed more daily surveys during CTP reported fewer symptoms of alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Conclusion: An inverse correlation between number of daily surveys completed and mental health disorder symptom scores indicated that participation in daily mental health monitoring was associated with improvements in self-reported mental health disorder symptoms between pre-training and pre-deployment. Regular self-monitoring of mental health disorder symptoms may help to mitigate mental health challenges among RCMP cadets and officers.
Open Access
An Examination of Attentional Bias for Threat in a Motor Vehicle Accident Survivors with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2014-07) Duranceau, Sophie; Carleton, R. Nicholas; Asmundson, Gordon J. G.; Oriet, Christopher; Riemann, Bradley C.
Theoretical models of anxiety suggest that cognitive vulnerabilities are involved in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Elwood, Hahn, Olatunji, & Williams, 2009). Attentional bias for threat has been identified as a cognitive vulnerability which may facilitate the development and maintenance of PTSD (Bomyea, Risbrough, & Lang, 2012). Several cognitive tasks have previously been used to assess attentional bias for threat in anxiety pathologies (i.e., emotional Stroop task, visual search task, dot probe task). The proposed investigation was designed to assess the directionality (i.e., facilitated attention, difficulty in disengagement, avoidance) and time-course of attentional bias for threat in motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors using a contemporary dot probe task. Participants included MVA survivors with high PTSD symptoms (n = 18), MVA survivors with low PTSD symptoms (n = 46), and a control group with no history of MVA or PTSD (n = 64) recruited across North America. Results suggest that MVA survivors reporting high PTSD symptoms display a different attentional pattern than individuals without such symptoms during the early stages of cognitive processing. Specifically, MVA survivors with high PTSD symptoms 1) easily disengage their attention from MVA-related threat and, contrary to individuals without PTSD symptoms, 2) fail to engage with generally threatening stimuli. A lack of engagement with threatening stimuli could interfere with the processing and re-appraisal of threat, in turn contributing to the exacerbation of PTSD symptoms. Attention bias modification programs could be useful for the treatment of PTSD. Comprehensive results, methodological considerations, implications, and future research are discussed.
Metadata only
I Hate My Body! The Relationship Between Social Physique Anxiety, Attitudes, Affect, and Exercise Motivation
(University of Regina, Graduate Students' Association, 2008-04) Bovell, Candice; Welch, Patrick G.; Otte, Shaylynn; Asmundson, Gordon J. G.
Social Physique Anxiety (SPA), the fear that others are negatively evaluating one's body (Hart, Leary, & Rejeski, 1989), is found in both men and women and is associated with low-self esteem, depression, and body dissatisfaction (Krane, Waldron, Stiles-Shipley, & Michalenok, 2001; McCreary & Sasse, 2000). SPA has also been found to motivate coping behaviours designed to reduce the anxiety and fear caused by this real or perceived negative evaluation (Kowalski, Mack, Crocker, Niefer, & Fleming, 2006; Sabiston, Sedgwick, Crocker, Kowalski, Mack, 2007). One such potentially adaptive behaviour is exercise; however, the motivation for exercise may be limited to aesthetic improvement, which in turn may affect the enjoyment and persistence of the behaviour. The current investigation examined the associations between SPA, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, depression, reasons for exercise, and physical activity enjoyment in an undergraduate sample. Eighty-nine students (35 men and 54 women) from the University of Regina between the ages of 18-46 (M= 21.2 years; SD = 3.8) participated in this study. The results of the study show that SPA is significantly correlated with depression, a desire to be thin, and exercising for appearance or weight management. Comprehensive results, implications, and directions for future research are discussed. An examination of social physique anxiety, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, depression, reasons for exercise, and physical activity enjoyment in an undergraduate sample.
Open Access
Paraprofessional delivery of online narrative exposure therapy for firefighters
(Wiley, 2023-06-08) Olthuis, Janine V.; Kaltenbach, Elisa; Giberson, Emma; Saryeddine, Tina; Asmundson, Gordon J. G.; Carleton, R. Nicholas; Cramm, Heidi; Crombach, Anselm; Devlin, Julie; Mack, Jeff; Lingley-Pottie, Patricia; Rao, Sanjay; Sullivan, Michael; Wozney, Lori; McGrath, Patrick J.
Firefighters are at increased risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and face numerous barriers to accessing mental health care. Innovative ways to increase access to evidence-based interventions are needed. This study was a case series testing the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a paraprofessional-delivered, virtual narrative exposure therapy (eNET) intervention for PTSD. Participants were 21 firefighters who met the criteria for clinical or subclinical probable PTSD and completed 10–12 sessions of eNET via videoconference. Participants completed self-report measures pre- and postintervention and at 2- and 6-month follow-ups as well as a postintervention qualitative interview. Paired samples t tests evidenced statistically significant decreases in PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptom severity and functional impairment from pre- to postintervention, ds = 1.08–1.33, and in PTSD and anxiety symptom severity and functional impairment from preintervention to 6-month follow-up, ds = 0.69–1.10. The average PTSD symptom severity score fell from above to below the clinical cutoff for probable PTSD at postintervention and follow-ups. Qualitative interviews indicated that paraprofessionals were considered central to participants’ success and experience with the intervention. No adverse events or safety concerns were raised. This study is an important step in demonstrating that appropriately trained and supervised paraprofessionals can effectively deliver eNET to firefighters with PTSD.