Two female Veteran discuss the increased risk of suicide faced by female Veterans and Service members in this recent article, "It's Time to Address the Staggering Rate of Suicide Among Servicewomen and Female Vets." As suggested by the title, authors Kate Hendricks Thomas and Kyleanne Hunter look at the significant statistical increase in suicides among this population.
Welcome to this week’s edition of CDP News! We like to use this space to review recent happenings in and around the Center for Deployment Psychology, while also looking ahead to upcoming events. Halloween is just around the corner, but it’s all treats and no tricks around here!
The weekly research update contains the latest news, journal articles and useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
● PTSD and Death from Suicide (PTSD Research Quarterly)
● Focus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychology -- Treating the Invisible Wounds of War: Focus on PTSD and TBI (special issue)
● Caring for Children and Meeting Mission Needs: Experiences of Parents in Dual- Military Families.
We all know the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Most of us feel better, physically and emotionally with some solid sleep the night before. A recent study suggests that rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep may be even more important than that. It may function as a protective factor, reducing fear-related activity in the brain. This reduction in fear may help prevent the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Nearly 40%
The percentage of DoD senior enlisted personnel who are nonwhite, according to a recently updated report from the Congressional Research Service -- Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in the Armed Services: Background and Issues for Congress. The report indicates that the enlisted population as a whole is " more racially diverse than the U.S. resident population." Roughly one third of the total enlisted population is nonwhite.