Dessa Bergen-Cico

Syracuse University | SU · Department of Public Health

Stress impacts our physical and mental health as well as our social life. A passive and contactless indoor stress monitoring system can unlock numerous important applications such as workplace productivity assessment, smart homes, and personalized mental health monitoring. While the thermal signatures from a user's body captured by a thermal camera...

This study examines population-level daily patterns of time-stamped emergency medical service (EMS) dispatches to establish their situational predictability. Using visualization, sinusoidal regression, and statistical tests to compare empirical cumulative distributions, we analyzed 311,848,450 emergency medical call records from the US National Eme...

Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces anxiety among undergraduate students; however, there is limited evidence demonstrating mechanistic underpinnings. Theoretical models implicate cognitive self-regulation as a mechanism. This study explored whether an adapted MBSR embedded in a college course reduced anxiety and if self-reg...

Objective: Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are often reluctant to engage in traditional mental health care but do seek primary care services. Alternative strategies are needed to develop emotional regulation skills among individuals with PTSD symptoms. This study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of Primary C...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate how mindfulness-based practice influenced self-regulation and self-compassion during adolescence. Of particular interest was the reciprocal interplay between the subcomponents of these two constructs. Methods The participants included 538 high school students (52.2% male), mean age 16.59 (SD...

Past research demonstrates interrelationships amongst rumination, self-compassion, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, little research has considered rumination and self-compassion together in relation to PTSD in clinical populations. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the unique effect of self-compassion on PTSD bey...

Objectives This research aimed to examine the mechanisms of change associated with mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) and test the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to objectively measure MBI-responsive neuro-cognitive functions impaired by stress and trauma: attentional control (AC), emotional regulation (ER), a...

Purpose This study examined the effectiveness of a 12-week mindfulness curriculum for at-risk, urban adolescents. Of particular interest was whether participation in the intervention was associated with gains in self-regulation and self-compassion. Design/Approach/Methods The analytic sample included 217 public high school students from thirteen 1...

Novice meditators often find it difficult to tune out external distractions which hinders their ability to engage in mindfulness practice. The problem is further exacerbated by stress and directed attention fatigue. Researchers and tech companies are experimenting with nature-inspired themes to improve the meditation session quality. In this paper,...

First responders place themselves in harm’s way, providing public safety and urgent on-site pre-hospital health care. Their work is physically demanding, requiring 24-hour coverage and ongoing exposure to injury, violence, death and destruction. Rates of post-traumatic stress among first responders ranges from 8 to 32 percent and vary based on the...

Objectives Although mindfulness-based interventions with children have been increasingly used as a strategy to promote social-emotional learning, the exploration of these practices among preschoolers in limited. This pilot study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8-week mindful yoga program for preschoolers living in communities with...

Practicing mindfulness-based stress reeducation and other contemplative practices generates a number of health and human performance benefits. However, limited access to qualified training and practice support, as well as poor practice environments, makes it difficult to sustain the habits necessary to develop the attentional regulation skills need...

Practicing mindfulness-based stress reeducation and other contemplative practices generates a number of health and human performance benefits. However, limited access to qualified training and practice support, as well as poor practice environments, makes it difficult to sustain the habits necessary to develop the attentional regulation skills need...

Mindfulness-based practices can benefit people physically and psychologically; and they may be particularly beneficial for vulnerable populations who face socioeconomic challenges and lack access to quality healthcare. Societies are increasingly multicultural with rich blended spiritual and cultural histories that can serve as either bridges or bar...

Although a good deal of research has explored clinical intervention studies to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions, little is known about how mindfulness manifests itself in the mind and body of practitioners. In particular, realtime, objective measurements of state mindfulness would be a valuable tool for researchers to learn...

Objectives: The aims of this study were to measure the potential impact of a therapeutic dog ownership and training program for Veterans with symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Design: The study used a quasi-experimental design with two cohorts of Veterans-a dog owner-trainer intervention and a wait list control group. Participants completed bas...

Abstract Background Our study objective was to examine the feasibility of implementing a culturally congruent mentorship pilot program, Youth-First (YF), that targets behavior modification among elementary school-aged children with disruptive behavior and a history of school suspension. We hypothesize that it is feasible to implement the YF program...

Chronic and acute stress are persistent and troubling health concerns for many people and military veterans in particular. Clinicians are increasingly turning to mindfulness techniques to provide people with the skills they need to self-manage that stress. However, training and getting people to adhere to the practice is difficult. In this paper, w...

People working in caring professions are at increased risk of experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout. The aims of this study were to investigate potential mediating effects of mindfulness on burnout. This is a cross-sectional study of mental health professionals working in psychologically challenging settings. Thirty-seven professionals (all f...

This chapter examines current trends in cannabis use across age groups, and the factors associated with use among age group cohorts. Data across European and North American countries consistently show highest past year prevalence of use among persons aged 24 and younger. However, current use as measured by cannabis use in the past 30 days, reveals...

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs have demonstrated efficacy in reducing trait anxiety; however, there is limited understanding of the process and mechanisms of change through which MBSR programs reduce anxiety. To better understand the changes cultivated through MBSR practice, this study examined causality relationships amongst tr...

As many health disparities in American minority communities (AMCs) are stress related, there has been an increased interest in the development of mindfulness programs as potential stress-reduction measures in these communities. However, the bulk of the extant literature on mindfulness research and mindfulness interventions is based upon experiences...

The hepatitis C (HCV) epidemic in the Republic of Georgia has been fueled by injection drug use (IDU) and compounded by punitive drug policies. This cross-sectional study examined HCV risk and protective factors among two high-risk populations in Georgia: people enrolled in opioid substitution therapy (OST) (n = 967) and people entering the prison...

Background: Since the end of 2015, reports by service providers have indicated a new trend in kitchen (homemade) production of an injection drug prepared from an ephedrine-containing conifer bush that is indigenous to the region. Objective: The aim of this report is to describe an emerging new homemade psychoactive drug synthesized from the ephe...

In Syracuse, New York the social determinants of trauma from neighborhood violence are rooted in historical processes, including urban renewal, the Rockefeller drug laws, and de-industrialization. These contributed to destabilizing Syracuse communities of color, resulting in disproportionate incarceration, family disruption, and economic devastatio...

Background In 2006 the country of Georgia implemented Article 45 of the Administrative code and Article 273 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, a public policy that enable police to detain any individual, anywhere, at any time on grounds of suspicion of drug use; and require them to submit to urine screening to test for the presence of illegal drugs a...

This chapter focuses on the resurgence of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa, mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine) use in Thailand and its emergence on the global market. Currently neither Kratom, mitragynine, nor other alkaloids from the M. speciosa plant are listed under the Schedules of the United Nations Drug Conventions; therefore, its legal status is i...

The Drug Situation in Georgia 2014 Report (the Annual Report) is the result of a collaborative interdisciplinary team effort involving experts in the fields of addictology, epidemiology and psychology. The process of drafting the Annual Report, and its structure, is based on standards of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction...

This chapter focuses on the biological and psychological relationships between traumatic stress and substance use. Traumatic stress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affect individuals physiologically as well as psychologically. Traumatic events occur throughout the life cycle and can predispose people to the risk of developing substance use...

This chapter focuses on the emerging epidemic of opiate abuse in relation to increased availability and use of prescription opioids for both medical and recreational purposes. Abuse of prescription opioids, including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, Vicodin, Subutex, Oxycontin, methadone, pethidine, and desomorphine, has been increasing in certa...

Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse, Volume 3: General Processes and Mechanisms, Prescription Medications, Caffeine and Areca, Polydrug Misuse, Emerging Addictions and Non-Drug Addictions is the third of three volumes in this informative series and offers a comprehensive examination of the adverse consequences of the most common...

First responders, the emergency medical technicians and paramedics who respond to everyday emergencies and tragedies, are an often-ignored group facing emotional and physical stress that is similar to that of law enforcement personnel and military veterans. Fifty first responder employees were invited to participate in the study, of which 34 comple...

This paper examines the policy of safer crack use kit (SCUK) distribution within the city of Winnipeg, Canada. Publicly funded, SCUK distribution policy has been a contested topic throughout Canada, despite evidence that crack users represent some of the most marginalized members of society. Using the four pillars approach to drug policy as a guide...

Objectives: Primary care (PC) patients typically do not receive adequate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. This study tested if a brief mindfulness training (BMT) offered in PC can decrease PTSD severity. Method: VA PC patients with PTSD (N = 62) were recruited for a randomized clinical trial comparing PCBMT with PC treatment as us...

Mindfulness-based stress reduction programs have improved psychological health for clinical populations including veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans with PTSD who seek services in Department of Veterans Affairs primary care are especially in need of brief treatments that can alleviate PTSD symptoms. A clinical demonstratio...

While violent crime has decreased in many cities in the USA, gang-related violence remains a serious problem in impoverished inner city neighborhoods. In Syracuse, New York, gang-related murders and gun shots have topped other New York state cities. Residents of the high-murder neighborhoods suffer trauma similar to those living in civil conflict z...

This study examined feasibility and efficacy of curriculum infusion of mindful yoga to foster self-regulation in support of academic performance and health promotion among emerging adolescents. Mindful yoga practices were integrated into 6th grade English Language Arts curricula (n = 72 students) while another cohort of students (n = 70) served as...

Through qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with men who have histories of gang affiliation and street crime, this article posits understanding these behaviors through the framework of addictions. The participants in this study describe themselves as being addicted to the action of the streets and their narratives fit with the evolving fra...

Background: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have significant medical morbidity, which may be mediated by hypothalamic pituitary axis (HPA) dysfunction and reflected in cortisol output. Many veterans with PTSD are hesitant to engage in trauma-focused exposure treatments; therefore briefer, non-exposure-based treatments are needed...

There are increasing calls for an end to the war on drugs and criticism of the perceived undue influence of the United States in global drug policies. While the Western Hemisphere has been quite vocal, little is known about the perspectives of the Eastern Hemisphere, notably the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. To develop a broad...

Research has found meditation to be associated with improved mental health; however, less is known about how these positive outcomes develop. To better understand the operant effects of meditation on mental health, this study is set forth to examine the potential mediating effects of commonly measured constructs of mindfulness and self-compassion o...

Intercept surveys were conducted with 149 college students each asked to record their alcohol consumption for the previous two weeks using the Timeline Follow-back (TLFB method). Immediately following completion of the pretest TLFB alcohol survey the students were presented with brief educational information defining what constitutes one standard d...

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine potential psychological health benefits of participating in a brief (5-week) mindfulness-based stress reduction (brief MBSR) program integrated into an academic course. Participants: Participants were 119 undergraduate students (treatment: n = 72; control: n = 47) enrolled in elective academic c...

Background: Alcohol and marijuana are the most commonly used psychoactive substances; however, the sequencing and relationship between age of first use and continued current problematic use among college-bound emerging adults is not well understood. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of current and historical alcohol and marijuana use among...

This research examines the relationship between college student attendance at co-curricular programs and GPA. Researchers tracked attendance of two cohorts totaling 3,000+ students through electromagnetic scanning at university-sponsored events. Analysis of GPA by attendance rate clusters revealed that students attending 5-14 events over the 4-year...

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based yoga intervention in promoting self-regulation among preschool children (3–5 years old). Twenty-nine children (16 intervention and 13 control) participated in the yearlong study that used a quasi experimental pretest/posttest treatment and control design. The mindful yoga intervention wa...

Through qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with men who have histories of gang affiliation and street crime, this article posits understanding these behaviors through the framework of addictions. The participants in this study describe themselves as being addicted to the action of the streets and their narratives fit with the evolving fra...

War and Drugs explores the relationship between military incursions and substance use and abuse throughout history. For centuries, drugs have been used to weaken enemies, stimulate troops to fight, and quell post-war trauma. They have also served as a source of funding for clandestine military and paramilitary activity. From the Opium Wars through...

This study examines the potential protective nature of aspirations that are civically oriented against alcohol abuse among college students. We examined the drinking behaviors and academic/professional aspirations of two incoming first-year student cohorts at a large private university. Chi-square analysis revealed significant and consistent findin...

An 8-week treatment-control intervention with 6-month follow-up study determined the effectiveness of disease prevention lifestyle-oriented nutrition counseling provided by dietetic interns/students to a convenience sample of 38 executive military and 30 campus clients (52 control subjects). Repeated measures distinguished changes between and withi...

In 1998, the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA Reauthorization) was amended by the United States Congress, thereby encouraging the development of new strategies on college and university campuses for address-ing alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse. The HEA Reauthorization also served as a catalyst for colleges and universities to develop new policie...

Drinking games are associated with excess alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, yet it is unclear whether they are unique to the college environment or whether students come to college familiar with such games. The authors queried 1,252 students attending voluntary summer orientation programs about their experiences with drinking games. A major...

This study is designed to develop characteristic profiles of college students whose substance use results in an emergency medical intervention or an institutional intervention. During the 1997-1998 academic year, 255 students required emergency medical or institutional intervention related to substance abuse. Of the 255 students, 42.3% (n = 110) we...