Resilient control : Neural emotion-regulatory circuitries predicting acute and long-term stress-responses

When we try to cope with stressful or challenging situations, our ability to regulate our responses towards these events is crucial. The general aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of prefrontal control over approach-avoidance tendencies in explaining individual differences in stress vulnerability and emotional responsivity. The large NWO-subsidized prospective longitudinal Police-In-Action (PIA) study enabled me to address this question in early-career police officers at high risk for trauma-exposure.


Pharmacological therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder : a systematic review and meta-analysis of monotherapy, augmentation and head-to-head approaches

Background: Pharmacological approaches are widely used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) despite uncertainty over efficacy.


Objectives: To determine the efficacy of all pharmacological approaches, including monotherapy, augmentation and head-to-head approaches (drug versus drug, drug versus psychotherapy), in reducing PTSD symptom severity.


Method: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials were undertaken; 115 studies were included.


20 Things Not to Say to Someone With PTSD

Imagine you are the survivor of a horrible car crash. One day, while you’re walking down the street, you hear a car horn followed by a screeching noise. Before you get a chance to look around and figure out what happened, you feel a sudden rush of adrenaline. Fear paralyzes you from head to toe, and your mind fills up with images of the accident in which you were involved not long ago. It may look like you’re overreacting from the outside, but from the inside, everything feels so ‘real’ and overwhelming. And so, you sit there shaking and waiting for something horrible to happen.

Mindfulness-based programmes for mental health promotion in adults in nonclinical settings : A systematic review and metaanalysis of randomised controlled trials


There is an urgent need for mental health promotion in nonclinical settings. Mindfulness–based programmes (MBPs) are being widely implemented to reduce stress, but a comprehensive evidence synthesis is lacking. We reviewed trials to assess whether MBPs promote mental health relative to no intervention or comparator interventions.

Methods and findings

Prevention and treatment of PTSD : the current evidence base

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common condition that affects millions of people across the world. Up to date recommendations based on the best available evidence are vital to prevent and treat this debilitating condition. In this issue, we are bringing together a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses that underpinned the development of the 2018 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Guidelines.


Evaluating Crisis Communication : A 30-item Checklist for Assessing Performance during COVID-19 and Other Pandemics

The primary objective of this paper is to propose a conceptual checklist to assess crisis communication efforts during pandemics and in their aftermath. No consolidated checklist exists for assessing the effectiveness of crisis communication at all levels during pandemics.


Dampening of positive affect is associated with posttraumatic stress following stressful life events

Background: Treatments for posttraumatic stress (PTS) are effective for many but not all people. There is a continued need to further our understanding of psychological mechanisms involved in the development and maintenance of PTS. Research has examined dysregulation of negative affect (NA) in PTS but relatively little attention has been paid to the role of dysregulation of positive affect (PA) in PTS.







Cognitive Therapy for Moral Injury in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder





