Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Jacquin, Kristine

Committee Member

Giesen, Martin

Committee Member

Armstrong, Kevin

Date of Degree

5-1-2010

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

The development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe weather phobia (SWP) symptoms in relation to weather-related trauma was examined. Participants were college students (N = 815) enrolled at Mississippi State University. Findings suggest that distinct factors (specifically, disorder-specific cognitions and anxiety sensitivity) contribute to the development of PTSD and in the onset of SWP symptoms following exposure to weather-related trauma. A weather trauma model taking into account disorder-specific cognitive vulnerabilities, previous exposure to weather-related trauma, and levels of anxiety sensitivity is suggested to provide an explanation for these differences. The results suggest that prevention and treatment efforts should address learned fear response, aim at reducing anxiety sensitivity, and target disorder-specific cognitions.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16289

Comments

severe weather phobia||posttraumatic stress disorder||trauma||college students

Download

Share

COinS