Year

2026

Season

Spring

Paper Type

Master's Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychological Science (MSPS)

Department

Psychological and Brain Sciences

NACO controlled Corporate Body

University of North Florida. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Committee Chairperson

Dr. Paul Fuglestad

Second Advisor

Dr. Lori Lange

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Department Chair

Dr. Lori Lange

College Dean

Kaveri Subrahmanyam

Abstract

Traumatic life experiences and the prolonged effects of stress can negatively impact an individual’s mental and physical health. Hyperreactivity to acute stressors can often be seen in individuals with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations, conditions commonly observed with endocrine dysfunction. How do traumatic experiences, particularly experiences related to military affiliation, influence stress responses and feelings of burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness? This study predicted (1) that military-affiliated individuals (and those with PTSD symptomology and high perceived life stress) will have heightened neurophysiological responses to minor levels of acute stress compared to individuals without military-affiliations (and those without PTSD symptomology or high life stress); (2) that social support (or lack thereof) will serve as a moderator between military-affiliation (PTSD, general life stress) and neurophysiological responses to stress, by decreasing self-reported ratings of stress and indicating increased heart rate variability; (3) that there will be a parallel mediation effect between military affiliation (PTSD, general life stress) and heightened neurophysiological stress, with self-reported belongingness and burdensomeness (markers associated with risk for suicide) serving as mediators. Predictions were tested through participants’ self-reported data and the completion of the Trier Social Stress Test while collecting continuous heart rate variability. Although study hypotheses were largely unsupported, interesting data emerged when assessing PTSD, perceived stress, and interpersonal characteristics. Imagined social support conditions did not significantly affect stress responses, potentially providing support for the importance of real, physical support in times of stress.

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