Karen Fondacaro | University of Vermont (original) (raw)

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Papers by Karen Fondacaro

Research paper thumbnail of The chronic traumatic stress treatment (CTS-T): A resilience-focused, culturally responsive intervention for refugees and survivors of torture - including a mobile mental health application

Research paper thumbnail of The Chronic Traumatic Stress Framework: A conceptual model to guide empirical investigation and mental health treatment for refugees and survivors of torture

Research paper thumbnail of Identifying resilience-promoting factors for refugee survivors of torture

Research paper thumbnail of Body size distortion in bulimia nervosa

International Journal of Eating Disorders, Feb 1, 1985

Estimation de leurs propres mensurations par des femmes de poids normal atteintes de boulimie et ... more Estimation de leurs propres mensurations par des femmes de poids normal atteintes de boulimie et un groupe controle; l'hypothese de depart etant que les boulimiques ont tendance a surestimer leurs dimensions corporelles (poitrine, taille, hanches, ventre)

Research paper thumbnail of Relation between immigration status and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress

Research paper thumbnail of Examining Torture Types Experienced and Psychological Functioning in Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Research paper thumbnail of A house is not a home: Modeling the effects of social support and connection within resettled refugee populations

Journal of Community Psychology, Jul 3, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Coping with stressful events in older children and young adolescents

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1988

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing the Disparity in Refugee Mental Health Services: a Pilot Study of a Traumatic Stress Intervention Utilizing a Language‑Free mHealth Application

Research paper thumbnail of The prevalence of mental illness among inmates in a rural state

Law and Human Behavior, Aug 1, 1997

Research paper thumbnail of Standardized test meals in assessment of eating behavior in bulimia nervosa: Consumption of feared foods when vomiting is prevented

International Journal of Eating Disorders, Feb 1, 1985

ABSTRACT This study contrasted the amount of food eaten in the absence of vomiting by normal-weig... more ABSTRACT This study contrasted the amount of food eaten in the absence of vomiting by normal-weight bulimia nervosa patients and matched normal controls. Subjects were instructed to eat as much food as they comfortably could without vomiting afterwards in three standardized test meals: a complete dinner eaten in a laboratory situation, and spaghetti and candy eaten at home. Bulimia nervosa subjects ate a very small amount of food in each test meal when compared with control subjects. Bulimia nervosa subjects also reported greater anxiety and urge to vomit after eating. A content analysis of tape-recorded thoughts showed that bulimia nervosa subjects were more preoccupied with eating and expressed more negative food-related thoughts. The results support the hypothesis that women with bulimia nervosa are unable to eat normal amounts of “frightening” foods when they do not plan to vomit. This behavioral test of eating behavior appears to be useful for the assessment of bulimia nervosa.

Research paper thumbnail of Parent's psychological flexibility: Associations with parenting and child psychosocial well-being

Journal of contextual behavioral science, Apr 1, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Torture, psychological inflexibility, and mental health outcomes among resettled refugees in the United States

Journal of Refugee Studies, Oct 7, 2020

Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic ... more Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic stress reactions, they also demonstrate considerable resilience. Among refugees, torture survivors have demonstrated greater symptom severity as well as greater resilience than those who have not reported torture. The contrast of these results suggests potential mediators. Psychological inflexibility is one process predictive of posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, this process has rarely been studied among refugees or survivors of torture. Thus, we examined psychological inflexibility as a mediator between torture and traumatic stress symptoms among resettled refugees (n = 71; 55% female; mean age = 41.48; 63% reported torture). Psychological inflexibility fully mediated the relationship between torture status and traumatic stress symptoms in two simple mediation models. Results demonstrate the impact of psychological inflexibility on refugee mental health and have implications for clinical care.

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Journal Of Refugee Studies, 2020

Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic ... more Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic stress reactions, they also demonstrate considerable resilience. Among refugees, torture survivors have demonstrated greater symptom severity as well as greater resilience than those who have not reported torture. The contrast of these results suggests potential mediators. Psychological inflexibility is one process predictive of posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, this process has rarely been studied among refugees or survivors of torture. Thus, we examined psychological inflexibility as a mediator between torture and traumatic stress symptoms among resettled refugees (n = 71; 55% female; mean age = 41.48; 63% reported torture). Psychological inflexibility fully mediated the relationship between torture status and traumatic stress symptoms in two simple mediation models. Results demonstrate the impact of psychological inflexibility on refugee mental health and have implications for c...

Research paper thumbnail of Practitioners’ Perspectives on Barriers and Benefits of Telemental Health Services: The Unique Impact of COVID-19 on Resettled U.S. Refugees and Asylees

Community Mental Health Journal

Research paper thumbnail of Parenting-Specific Psychological Flexibility Scale

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationship Between Post-migration Stressors and Mental Health Outcomes for Refugees

Research paper thumbnail of Identifying resilience-promoting factors for refugee survivors of torture

Torture Journal

Introduction: There are 1.3 million refugee survivors of torture currently living in the United S... more Introduction: There are 1.3 million refugee survivors of torture currently living in the United States today. While a substantial body of research has been growing on refugee mental health, few studies have focused on refugee resilience. Objective: The current study focuses on a clinical sample of refugee survivors of torture to examine resilience-promoting factors, including community engagement, employment, English fluency, and psychological flexibility. Specifically, our study conducted moderation and mediation analyses to better understand how these resilience-promoting factors impact the torture-mental health relationship. Results: Findings showed that torture severity was significantly and positively associated with all mental health symptoms, and psychological flexibility was significantly and negatively associated with all mental health symptoms, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Psychological flexibility also emerged as a significant mediator of the torture-mental he...

Research paper thumbnail of Suicide and suicide-related behavior among Bhutanese refugees resettled in the United States

Asian American Journal of Psychology, 2018

Suicidal behavior and death by suicide are significant and pressing problems in the Bhutanese ref... more Suicidal behavior and death by suicide are significant and pressing problems in the Bhutanese refugee community. Currently, Bhutanese refugees are dying by suicide at a rate nearly two times that of the general U.S. population. Proper identification of risk factors for suicide saves lives; however, if risk is underestimated due to culturally inflexible risk assessments, preventable deaths may continue to occur. In this review, we examine specific cultural factors related to psychopathology and suicide among Bhutanese refugees. To contextualize the current suicide crisis among Bhutanese refugees, we propose an integration of the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005) and the cultural model of suicide (Chu, Goldblum, Floyd, & Bongar, 2010). We provide recommendations for preventing suicide from a systems framework and discuss practical lessons from a preliminary study designed to test a culturally-responsive model of suicide in Bhutanese refugees.

Research paper thumbnail of Reaching a Diverse Refugee Population: Treatment Engagement Among Individuals Receiving ACT Informed Interventions

Numerous evidence based interventions have been developed to address trauma and psychological dis... more Numerous evidence based interventions have been developed to address trauma and psychological distress and wellbeing. A number of individuals are unable to benefit from these due to failing to attend and engage in treatment. Clients may fail to attend therapy sessions for a number of reasons, ranging from severe psychological distress to tangible economic barriers. These challenges may be particularly salient among a refugee population. The current study examines predictors of treatment attendance and unplanned drop out in a diverse sample of refugees from a broad array of countries (e.g. Somali-Bantu, Nepali-Bhutanese, Congolese, etc.). Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as income, family size, gender, and feeling connected with community supports will be examined to determine predictors of treatment engagement difficulties. Intervention delivered uses a functional contextual framework based on the ACT approach, along with skills drawn from other evidence based prac...

Research paper thumbnail of The chronic traumatic stress treatment (CTS-T): A resilience-focused, culturally responsive intervention for refugees and survivors of torture - including a mobile mental health application

Research paper thumbnail of The Chronic Traumatic Stress Framework: A conceptual model to guide empirical investigation and mental health treatment for refugees and survivors of torture

Research paper thumbnail of Identifying resilience-promoting factors for refugee survivors of torture

Research paper thumbnail of Body size distortion in bulimia nervosa

International Journal of Eating Disorders, Feb 1, 1985

Estimation de leurs propres mensurations par des femmes de poids normal atteintes de boulimie et ... more Estimation de leurs propres mensurations par des femmes de poids normal atteintes de boulimie et un groupe controle; l'hypothese de depart etant que les boulimiques ont tendance a surestimer leurs dimensions corporelles (poitrine, taille, hanches, ventre)

Research paper thumbnail of Relation between immigration status and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress

Research paper thumbnail of Examining Torture Types Experienced and Psychological Functioning in Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Research paper thumbnail of A house is not a home: Modeling the effects of social support and connection within resettled refugee populations

Journal of Community Psychology, Jul 3, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Coping with stressful events in older children and young adolescents

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1988

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing the Disparity in Refugee Mental Health Services: a Pilot Study of a Traumatic Stress Intervention Utilizing a Language‑Free mHealth Application

Research paper thumbnail of The prevalence of mental illness among inmates in a rural state

Law and Human Behavior, Aug 1, 1997

Research paper thumbnail of Standardized test meals in assessment of eating behavior in bulimia nervosa: Consumption of feared foods when vomiting is prevented

International Journal of Eating Disorders, Feb 1, 1985

ABSTRACT This study contrasted the amount of food eaten in the absence of vomiting by normal-weig... more ABSTRACT This study contrasted the amount of food eaten in the absence of vomiting by normal-weight bulimia nervosa patients and matched normal controls. Subjects were instructed to eat as much food as they comfortably could without vomiting afterwards in three standardized test meals: a complete dinner eaten in a laboratory situation, and spaghetti and candy eaten at home. Bulimia nervosa subjects ate a very small amount of food in each test meal when compared with control subjects. Bulimia nervosa subjects also reported greater anxiety and urge to vomit after eating. A content analysis of tape-recorded thoughts showed that bulimia nervosa subjects were more preoccupied with eating and expressed more negative food-related thoughts. The results support the hypothesis that women with bulimia nervosa are unable to eat normal amounts of “frightening” foods when they do not plan to vomit. This behavioral test of eating behavior appears to be useful for the assessment of bulimia nervosa.

Research paper thumbnail of Parent's psychological flexibility: Associations with parenting and child psychosocial well-being

Journal of contextual behavioral science, Apr 1, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Torture, psychological inflexibility, and mental health outcomes among resettled refugees in the United States

Journal of Refugee Studies, Oct 7, 2020

Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic ... more Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic stress reactions, they also demonstrate considerable resilience. Among refugees, torture survivors have demonstrated greater symptom severity as well as greater resilience than those who have not reported torture. The contrast of these results suggests potential mediators. Psychological inflexibility is one process predictive of posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, this process has rarely been studied among refugees or survivors of torture. Thus, we examined psychological inflexibility as a mediator between torture and traumatic stress symptoms among resettled refugees (n = 71; 55% female; mean age = 41.48; 63% reported torture). Psychological inflexibility fully mediated the relationship between torture status and traumatic stress symptoms in two simple mediation models. Results demonstrate the impact of psychological inflexibility on refugee mental health and have implications for clinical care.

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Journal Of Refugee Studies, 2020

Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic ... more Refugees endure incredible adversity, including torture. Although many refugees report traumatic stress reactions, they also demonstrate considerable resilience. Among refugees, torture survivors have demonstrated greater symptom severity as well as greater resilience than those who have not reported torture. The contrast of these results suggests potential mediators. Psychological inflexibility is one process predictive of posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, this process has rarely been studied among refugees or survivors of torture. Thus, we examined psychological inflexibility as a mediator between torture and traumatic stress symptoms among resettled refugees (n = 71; 55% female; mean age = 41.48; 63% reported torture). Psychological inflexibility fully mediated the relationship between torture status and traumatic stress symptoms in two simple mediation models. Results demonstrate the impact of psychological inflexibility on refugee mental health and have implications for c...

Research paper thumbnail of Practitioners’ Perspectives on Barriers and Benefits of Telemental Health Services: The Unique Impact of COVID-19 on Resettled U.S. Refugees and Asylees

Community Mental Health Journal

Research paper thumbnail of Parenting-Specific Psychological Flexibility Scale

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationship Between Post-migration Stressors and Mental Health Outcomes for Refugees

Research paper thumbnail of Identifying resilience-promoting factors for refugee survivors of torture

Torture Journal

Introduction: There are 1.3 million refugee survivors of torture currently living in the United S... more Introduction: There are 1.3 million refugee survivors of torture currently living in the United States today. While a substantial body of research has been growing on refugee mental health, few studies have focused on refugee resilience. Objective: The current study focuses on a clinical sample of refugee survivors of torture to examine resilience-promoting factors, including community engagement, employment, English fluency, and psychological flexibility. Specifically, our study conducted moderation and mediation analyses to better understand how these resilience-promoting factors impact the torture-mental health relationship. Results: Findings showed that torture severity was significantly and positively associated with all mental health symptoms, and psychological flexibility was significantly and negatively associated with all mental health symptoms, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Psychological flexibility also emerged as a significant mediator of the torture-mental he...

Research paper thumbnail of Suicide and suicide-related behavior among Bhutanese refugees resettled in the United States

Asian American Journal of Psychology, 2018

Suicidal behavior and death by suicide are significant and pressing problems in the Bhutanese ref... more Suicidal behavior and death by suicide are significant and pressing problems in the Bhutanese refugee community. Currently, Bhutanese refugees are dying by suicide at a rate nearly two times that of the general U.S. population. Proper identification of risk factors for suicide saves lives; however, if risk is underestimated due to culturally inflexible risk assessments, preventable deaths may continue to occur. In this review, we examine specific cultural factors related to psychopathology and suicide among Bhutanese refugees. To contextualize the current suicide crisis among Bhutanese refugees, we propose an integration of the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005) and the cultural model of suicide (Chu, Goldblum, Floyd, & Bongar, 2010). We provide recommendations for preventing suicide from a systems framework and discuss practical lessons from a preliminary study designed to test a culturally-responsive model of suicide in Bhutanese refugees.

Research paper thumbnail of Reaching a Diverse Refugee Population: Treatment Engagement Among Individuals Receiving ACT Informed Interventions

Numerous evidence based interventions have been developed to address trauma and psychological dis... more Numerous evidence based interventions have been developed to address trauma and psychological distress and wellbeing. A number of individuals are unable to benefit from these due to failing to attend and engage in treatment. Clients may fail to attend therapy sessions for a number of reasons, ranging from severe psychological distress to tangible economic barriers. These challenges may be particularly salient among a refugee population. The current study examines predictors of treatment attendance and unplanned drop out in a diverse sample of refugees from a broad array of countries (e.g. Somali-Bantu, Nepali-Bhutanese, Congolese, etc.). Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as income, family size, gender, and feeling connected with community supports will be examined to determine predictors of treatment engagement difficulties. Intervention delivered uses a functional contextual framework based on the ACT approach, along with skills drawn from other evidence based prac...