This study will examine the ability of the recently released Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 3 (MMPI-3) to differentiate individuals diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from those holding no psychiatric diagnoses. We will recruit from three separate populations (college students, mental health outpatients, Veterans) and identify PTSD/no-PTSD groups based on a structural clinical interview. Previous research has provided robust support for earlier versions of the MMPI in PTSD assessment and emerging work suggests on the MMPI-3 suggests similar levels of support; however, research has not yet examined classification accuracy of the MMPI-3 for those meeting formal diagnostic criteria. We will use three separate analyses to achieve this goal. First, t-tests with effect size calculation to determine the magnitude of mean score differences. Second, chi square tests with effect size calculate to determine differences in clinical elevations on the MMPI-3 scales. Third, we will calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative predictive value, hit rate, and Youden’s j at various cut-scores for scales of the MMPI-3 demonstrating at least a medium effect size on t-tests and chi-square tests. We anticipate medium to large effect sizes on scales assessing internalizing psychopathology, with the Anxiety Related Disorders (ARX) scale serving as the best indicator for PTSD. We will discuss clinical cut-scores that provide the best classification in each of these populations, as well as how generalizable the findings are across these populations. Keywords: MMPI-3, Psychological Assessment, PTSD, Veteran, College Student, Outpatient

Mental illness is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder varying in impact, ranging from mild, moderate, and severe impairment (NIMH, 2020). Cognitive impairments include psychological disorders and mental illnesses like schizophrenia, major depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and personality disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness. Untreated mental health may lead to the fatal consequence of suicide. Despite these grave outcomes, African Americans suffering from mental health disorders underutilize mental health services (Bartels, Blow, Brockmann, & Van Citters, 2005). African American males are less likely than white American males to seek help for mental health issues due to the stigma associated with mental illness in the black community. A 2018 study showed that only 8.7 percent of African American adults received mental health services compared with 18.6 percent of white American adults (Carratala, Maxwell, 2020). Factors such as low socioeconomic status, racism, and the intersectionality between race and gender obstruct mental health outcomes. African American males believe mild depression or anxiety would be considered “crazy” in their social circles (Williams, M.T., 2011). Furthermore, many believe that discussions about mental illness would not be appropriate amongst their families (Williams, M.T., 2011). The purpose of this presentation is to share a literature review on why African American males are less likely than their white counterparts to seek help for their mental health issues.

Previous research has raised the issue of there being a lack of mental health resources for the children of Veterans. Moreover, researchers who study the context of mental health in Veterans and their families focus on White European American families. There is a lack of research on mental health resources for children of Veterans who come from historically marginalized backgrounds. My research investigates whether this research gap is due to a lack of mental health resources being utilized or if there is another barrier present. I utilize a mixed-methods analysis using previously collected data from databases and interviews that investigate mental health resources available to children of service members in the Bay Area, with a focus on service members and families who come from a historically marginalized background. As service members put their lives at risk, their families back at home also put their physical and mental health on the line. When service members either come home or retire there is the expectation to help them adjust back to normal civilian life and that means making sure they have access to mental health resources to help with the effects of their service. But what of the families who have also endured trauma, there need to be resources that are catered to them specifically. Even with the possibility of there being resources, there are barriers such as stigma and structural racism that families face and could be the catalyst to why they don’t use or access the resources. This research will help shed a light on what is lacking in our VA centers and what children who are struggling with mental health issues need to overcome and work through the problems they are facing.

Within this study, we investigate the relationship between perceived health and strength of interpersonal relationships of college-age veterans with symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The objective is to determine how the strength of interpersonal connections affect the way stress is processed after a stressful semester. The larger goal of this research is to determine where the source of the study populations’ strongest support systems come from. This is specifically regarding the impact of college life on the development of PTSD and its symptoms. We collected data through an online survey and a screener. The entire study takes a total of 30 minutes consisting of two surveys for the entirety of the summer (one month apart) and takes about 20 and 10 minutes respectively to complete. The screener consists of questions to determine that the participants enrolled in the spring semester (2022), would consider themselves to be a veteran, in active status, or the army reserve, between the ages of 18-30 and currently showing post-traumatic stress symptoms. The actual survey consists of questions to determine the participants general perceived health status and stress levels. The information gained provides deeper insight into how the sample population can be better supported. The results from the study may improve the resources available to veterans and their partners/community members, as well as awareness of PTSD and trauma development.

Burnout is a prevalent condition among many workers. A group that is affected by burnout is healthcare professionals due to long work hours and vast amounts of workload. Burnout in healthcare professionals can risk the safety of patients. The aim of this study was to demonstrate and explain the evidence for the relationship between satisfaction in the work environment and burnout among different occupations in the health field. A systematic literature review was performed on articles published from 2010-2020 on Google Scholar that met the criteria. Twenty articles were selected and four themes were found that centered around a stressful working environment consisting of workload, staff shortage, inadequate management, and lack of support from colleagues. The stressors that were found demonstrated healthcare professionals’ dissatisfaction in their working environment. The results emphasize the need for policies to ensure a healthy working environment to maintain a productive workforce of health professionals policies.