The mediating role of social support in associations between childhood adversity, military sexual trauma, and homelessness in a nationally representative sample of US veterans.

Among veterans, availability of social support and histories of military sexual trauma (MST) and/or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are particularly salient correlates of homelessness. Using path analyses, we investigated whether social support (i.e., interpersonal social support and community integration) would at least partially account for the relationships of MST and ACEs with any lifetime homelessness in a large, nationally representative sample of veterans (N = 4069, 9.8% female). Interpersonal social support and community integration partially explained the relationship between ACEs and any lifetime homelessness. However, they did not mediate the relationship between MST and any lifetime homelessness. Female veterans also reported higher trauma rates and lower perceived social support than male counterparts during correlational analyses. These results reinforce existing literature on the importance of research and interventions tailored to veterans with low social support and integration. Results have potential to inform interventions and policy for veterans experiencing and/or at risk for homelessness.

Supporting the nation's transitioning veterans: Narrative review of practices and recommendations for psychotherapy and counseling of veterans separating from military service.

Each year, approximately 200,000 service members transition out of military service and return to civilian life. For many, the stresses of this military-to-civilian transition are vast and include instabilities in mental health, relationships, employment, education, and housing. Given their unique training, mental health professionals often find themselves on the front lines of efforts to support this population. However, to date, literature to guide work with this population has been scant and disorganized. This narrative review provides practitioners both within and outside the Veterans Health Administration with an overview of relevant literature in this area and offers concrete, practical recommendations for how to best support transitioning Veterans through psychotherapy and counseling. Three major themes are reviewed: (a) Engagement strategies, including clinical style, mitigation of privacy concerns, and consideration of broader psychosocial issues; (b) contextual considerations, including challenges of the "Thank You for Your Service" phenomenon, identity considerations, and circumstances of discharge; and (c) information about available services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Characterization and gonadal hormone regulation of a sexually dimorphic corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 cell group.

Corticotropin-releasing factor binds with high affinity to CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) and is implicated in stress-related mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Using a validated CRFR1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter mouse, our laboratory recently discovered a nucleus of CRFR1 expressing cells that is prominent in the female rostral anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV/PeN), but largely absent in males. This sex difference is present in the early postnatal period and remains dimorphic into adulthood. The present investigation sought to characterize the chemical composition and gonadal hormone regulation of these sexually dimorphic CRFR1 cells using immunohistochemical procedures. We report that CRFR1-GFP-ir cells within the female AVPV/PeN are largely distinct from other dimorphic cell populations (kisspeptin, tyrosine hydroxylase). However, CRFR1-GFP-ir cells within the AVPV/PeN highly co-express estrogen receptor alpha as well as glucocorticoid receptor. A single injection of testosterone propionate or estradiol benzoate on the day of birth completely eliminates the AVPV/PeN sex difference, whereas adult gonadectomy has no effect on CRFR1-GFP cell number. These results indicate that the AVPV/PeN CRFR1 is regulated by perinatal but not adult gonadal hormones. Finally, female AVPV/PeN CRFR1-GFP-ir cells are activated following an acute 30-min restraint stress, as assessed by co-localization of CRFR1-GFP cells with phosphorylated (p) CREB. CRFR1-GFP/pCREB cells were largely absent in the male AVPV/PeN. Together, these data indicate a stress and gonadal hormone responsive nucleus that is unique to females and may contribute to sex-specific stress responses.