Kiran M. Sarma’s research while affiliated with National University of Ireland, Maynooth and other places

Military personnel are at an increased risk of exposure to potentially traumatic events. Personnel are also exposed to chronic stress caused by work related factors and interpersonal conflict. The cumulative effect of these chronic stressors can deplete an individual’s ability to cope when faced with potentially traumatic events later. Considering this fact, how can military personnel be equipped to deal with potentially traumatic events and the chronic deployment related stress they are likely to face? The answer may lie within the field of pre-deployment resilience building intervention. This study prevents the Resilience Skills Training Programme (RIPSTOP. The programme (Consisting of 6 modules, informed by the researcher’s previous research) was delivered to a sample of Irish Army soldiers, drawn from an operational infantry unit. Participants completed pre-post resilience, wellbeing, and self-efficacy scales. Participants also completed qualitative and quantitative feedback evaluations post each individual module and a post-programme overall evaluation. The programme was well received by members of the Defence Forces, with quantitative evaluations suggesting participants felt their resilience skills (coping skills for example) and knowledge of resilience was improved. Qualitative results suggest that participants felt the programme would be acceptable to other members of the Defence Force.

Road traffic collisions are preventable events. Those who engage in the most serious forms of road traffic offending are disproportionately responsible for serious injuries and fatalities on the road. Understanding the processes that are implicated in serious road traffic offending can highlight potentially fruitful fulcra for enhancing road safety. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 drivers who had been disqualified in the previous 5 years and had regained their driving licenses. Participants were recruited with the support of the national authority for road safety in Ireland (the Road Safety Authority) and self-selected to be interviewed following an extensive recruitment campaign. Transcripts were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. The processes leading to driver disqualification involve a range of interacting factors that include early life experiences, pro-offending cognitions, precipitating stressors and normalization processes. These processes can be usefully synthesized using social ecology models of behavior that focus on the interplay between different personal and contextual factors in determining behavior. Findings suggest that processes leading to disqualification vary widely, pointing to the need for road safety strategies that are sensitive to the complexity of serious road traffic offenses and interventions that have multiple aspects sensitive to the varying processes involved.

Background The link between mental health difficulties and terrorist behaviour has been the subject of debate for the last 50 years. Studies that report prevalence rates of mental health difficulties in terrorist samples or compare rates for those involved and not involved in terrorism, can inform this debate and the work of those responsible for countering violent extremism. Objectives To synthesise the prevalence rates of mental health difficulties in terrorist samples (Objective 1—Prevalence) and prevalence of mental health disorders pre‐dating involvement in terrorism (Objective 2—Temporality). The review also synthesises the extent to which mental health difficulties are associated with terrorist involvement compared to non‐terrorist samples (Objective 3—Risk Factor). Search Methods Searches were conducted between April and June 2022, capturing research until December 2021. We contacted expert networks, hand‐searched specialist journals, harvested records from published reviews, and examined references lists for included papers to identify additional studies. Selection Criteria Studies needed to empirically examine mental health difficulties and terrorism. To be included under Objective 1 (Prevalence) and Objective 2 (Temporality), studies had to adopt cross‐sectional, cohort, or case‐control design and report prevalence rates of mental health difficulties in terrorist samples, with studies under Objective 2 also needing to report prevalence of difficulties before detection or involvement in terrorism. For Objective 3 (Risk Factor) studies where there was variability in terrorist behaviour (involved vs. not involved) were included. Data Collection and Analysis Captured records were screened in DisillterSR by two authors. Risk of bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists, and random‐effects meta‐analysis conducted in Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis software. Results Fifty‐six papers reporting on 73 different terrorist samples (i.e., studies) (n = 13,648) were identified. All were eligible for Objective 1. Of the 73 studies, 10 were eligible for Objective 2 (Temporality) and nine were eligible for Objective 3 (Risk Factor). For Objective 1, the life‐time prevalence rate of diagnosed mental disorder in terrorist samples (k = 18) was 17.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 11.1%–26.3%]. When collapsing all studies reporting psychological problems, disorder, and suspected disorder into one meta‐analyses (k = 37), the pooled prevalence rate was 25.5% (95% CI = 20.2%–31.6%). When isolating studies reporting data for any mental health difficulty that emerged before either engagement in terrorism or detection for terrorist offences (Objective 2: Temporality), the life‐time prevalence rate was 27.8% (95% CI = 20.9%–35.9%). For Objective 3 (Risk Factor), it was not appropriate to calculate a pooled effect size due the differences in comparison samples. Odds ratios for these studies ranged from 0.68 (95% CI = 0.38–1.22) to 3.13 (95% CI = 1.87–5.23). All studies were assessed as having high‐risk of bias which, in part, reflects challenges conducting terrorism research. Author's Conclusions This review does not support the assertion that terrorist samples are characterised by higher rates of mental health difficulties than would be expected in the general population. Findings have implications for future research in terms of design and reporting. There are also implications for practice with regards the inclusion of mental health difficulties as indicators of risk.

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows: the first objective of the review (Objective 1—Prevalence) is to present a synthesis of the reported prevalence rates of mental health difficulties in terrorist samples. Where sufficient data is available, the synthesis will be sensitive to the heterogeneity of the terrorism phenomenon by exploring the rates of mental health difficulties for different forms of terrorism and for different terrorist roles (e.g., bombing, logistics, finance, etc.). The second objective (Objective 2—Temporality) will synthesise the extent to which mental health difficulties pre‐date involvement in terrorism within prevalence studies. Finally, the third objective (Objective 3—Risk) aims to further establish temporality by examining the extent to which the presence of mental disorder is associated with terrorist involvement by comparing terrorist and non‐terrorist samples.

Military personnel and frontline emergency workers may be exposed to events that have the potential to precipitate negative mental health outcomes such as depression, symptoms of post‐traumatic stress and even post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Programmes have been designed to build psychological resilience before staff are deployed into the field. This review presents a synthesis of the literature on these “pre‐deployment resilience‐building programmes”. shorturl.at/pDHUX

There is little empirical research conducted on state-sponsored extremism (SSE). Yet, SSE can be seen in society from policy to policing that can lead to discrimination and aggression. The purpose of the study was to investigate if those higher on the Dark Tetrad (D4; Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) would demonstrate more support for SSE. We hypothesized those who were higher on the D4 and RWA would show more sympathy towards SSE. We also investigated if cognitive suppression use could predict more support for SSE scenarios. In a cross-sectional design with vignettes, participants indicated their level of agreement with four real-world examples of SSE. A total of 398 participants (287 women, 103 men, 6 non-binary, and 2 who did not indicate gender) from 43 countries were recruited online. We ran a series of hierarchical regressions to develop predictive models to test our hypotheses. Being higher on RWA was a significant predictor that explained the most variance in nearly all models. Being higher on the D4 also predicted more support for SSE in select circumstances. Our findings contribute to the understanding of dispositional dynamics and interpersonal differences in the legitimization of SSE.

Background: Military personnel are at a heightened risk of being exposed to potentially traumatic incidents in the line of duty. Evidence would suggest that the risk of developing psychological trauma and/or PTSD after a traumatic event is predicted by the interaction of pre-trauma, peri-trauma and post-trauma risk and protective factors. Objective: This research will explore military personnels' experience of potentially traumatic events while deployed. In particular, the research aims to gain an understanding of both protective and risk factors which influence personnels' experience of potentially traumatic events. Method: One to one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 members of the Irish Defence Forces. We conducted a thematic analysis in line with the recommendations provided by Braun & Clarke 2006. Results: There was a wide variety of potentially traumatic events experienced by participants, ranging from stressful naval migrant rescues to armed standoffs. Aside from more pointed events, chronic stress was reported to negatively affect personal resilience while factors such as positive mindset and a belief in the mission had a galvanizing effect. Both the family back home and the "military family" were reported to provide sources of comfort and support, while at times being a source of significant stress. The organisational context of the military, including training and formal psychological supports was viewed with mixed opinions by our participants. Conclusions: The findings of this research illuminate the unique stress and strains faced by Irish military personnel at pre, peri and post deployment. The results highlight the need for effective predeployment resilience building programmes to equip personnel with the tools to deal with traumatic events. This foundational work provides the basis for further research into the military peacekeeper and humanitarian domain. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

This study presents the findings of a laboratory-based experiment testing hypothesised processes implicated in the prevention of violent radicalisation through counter-narratives. The central aims of the study were to contribute to counter-narrative theory, whilst highlighting the value of experimental methodologies that can be deployed in this area of scientific enquiry. Two counter-narrative strategies were evaluated against a dominant terrorist narrative. Considering the role of cognition in the processing of narrative-related information, participants’ (n = 150) Cognitive Reflection and Need for Cognition were measured before they were randomly assigned to a narrative that legitimized terrorist violence, one of two counter-narratives, or a control. Returning autonomy to the target by having them actively counter terrorist rhetoric themselves was found to be more effective than offering generic counter-narratives. Notwithstanding the challenges and limitations associated with measuring violent radicalization-related constructs, the findings of the experiment demonstrate the extent to which individuals vary in their susceptibility to violent, terrorist narratives, as well as attempts to counter them.

The purpose of this study was to generate greater understanding of social-emotional difficulties in infants and toddlers in an Irish context. This study compared rates of reported social-emotional difficulties young children in clinical and non-clinical samples and probed a predictive model of social-emotional adjustment. Data were collected from a cross-sectional sample of 72 mothers of young children aged between 12 and 48 months. Mothers were recruited from waiting lists for child Early Intervention services (clinical sample) and community mother-toddler groups (non-clinical sample). Mothers completed a questionnaire battery which assessed parenting self-efficacy, parenting behaviour, psychological distress and child social-emotional adjustment. The results indicated that 55.5% of young children in the clinical sample and 15% in the non-clinical sample had significant social-emotional problems. Similarly, 55.5% of young children in the clinical sample and 30% in the non-clinical sample had significant delays in the acquisition of social-emotional competencies. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were carried out with social-emotional problems and social-emotional competencies as the respective criterion variables. Clinical or non-clinical group membership, parenting satisfaction and maternal psychological distress were found to be significant predictors of child social-emotional problems in a model which explained 59% of the variance. Task-specific self-efficacy was the only significant predictor of child social-emotional competencies in a model which explained 21% of the variance. The significant rates of social-emotional problems in young children in the current study and the potential negative impact on child health and wellbeing, suggest that the early assessment of social-emotional adjustment should be incorporated into routine clinical assessment for young children. For services to effectively meet the needs of children with social-emotional difficulties and their families, consideration of maternal factors is also necessary.