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Trauma

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Commentary
The Ripples of War Are Only Beginning to Spread. Is America Ready?
There are now more than 1.9 million U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 50,000 were physically injured and around 15 percent have experienced PTSD. Perhaps all were exposed to burn pits and other toxins. What are the long-term impacts of the wars on those who fought them?
Mar 23, 2023
Essay
Trauma Takes a Toll in the U.S. Intelligence Community
For people in the intelligence community, the risk of experiencing a variety of traumas is very real. Agencies should look more closely at their workforces to better understand the traumas their analysts face and what they can do to help.
Sep 6, 2023

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Blog
Supporting Veterans, Israel-Hamas War, AI and Geopolitics: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on supporting America's veterans, what Israel's ground offensive in Gaza can and cannot accomplish, how AI might affect the rise and fall of nations, and more.
Nov 10, 2023
Commentary
Terror and the Secondary Trauma of Social Media
As graphic images from Israel and Gaza proliferate on social media, it is likely that these images are having significant negative impacts on the mental health and well-being of many. Mitigating their impact on global mental health might require making hard choices and doing the work to forge community bonds that prioritize everyone's well-being.
Nov 4, 2023
Blog
Trauma in the Intelligence Community, Climate Change, Cybersecurity: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the toll that trauma takes in the intelligence community, how climate change will affect the federal budget, why it may be time for a new cybersecurity standard, and more.
Sep 29, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: September-October 2023
Features explore the impact of four-day school weeks; the risk of people in the intelligence community experiencing trauma; and how insomnia affects societal health, well-being, and productivity.
Sep 11, 2023
Report
Toward a Unified Multiscale Computational Model of the Human Body's Immediate Responses to Blast-Related Trauma: Proceedings and Expert Findings from a U.S. Department of Defense International State-of-the-Science Meeting
These proceedings describe the tenth U.S. Department of Defense International State-of-the-Science Meeting on Blast Injury Research, where experts discussed innovations in multiscale modeling of the human body's response to blast-related trauma.
Jun 13, 2023
Journal Article
Stress-induced Changes in Autonomic Reactivity Vary with Adolescent Violence Exposure and Resting-state Functional Connectivity
Exposure to violence during childhood can lead to functional changes in brain regions. This study examined whether changes in autonomic responses varied with whole brain resting-state functional connectivity as a function of violence exposure.
May 18, 2023
Blog
RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research
From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.
May 8, 2023
Commentary
Dementia in the National Security Workforce Could Create a Security Threat
Challenges associated with cognitive impairment in the workplace will increase as people continue to live longer and retire later. Individuals who work in national security and intelligence could become a security threat if they develop dementia and unwittingly share government secrets.
Apr 4, 2023
Journal Article
The Role of Pre-Treatment Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Adolescent Substance Use Treatment Outcomes
This study assesses the association between traumatic stress symptoms and substance use treatment outcomes among trauma-exposed adolescents, using methods to reduce potential confounding from factors such as baseline substance use severity.
Feb 21, 2023
Report
Psychological Harms and Treatment of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in Adults: Systematic and Scoping Reviews to Inform Improved Care for Military Populations
Researchers conducted three evidence reviews on interventions for victims of sexual assault and harassment in military settings, barriers and facilitators to accessing care, and associations between victims and specific mental health conditions.
Jan 9, 2023
Research Brief
Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault in Military Settings
Members of the military who have been victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment often experience PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders. What therapies are effective at treating these conditions? And what barriers prevent service members from getting the care that they need?
Jan 9, 2023
Blog
Protests in China, Negotiating with Russia, L.A.'s 'Mansion Tax': RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on protests in China amid the government's zero-COVID policy, the potential harm in negotiating with Russia, building more affordable housing in Los Angeles, and more.
Dec 2, 2022
Commentary
Intelligence Work Is Exciting. And Traumatizing
The intelligence community needs to communicate to its workforce about the varied forms of trauma, how it affects individuals, and what resources exist to help. Protecting the intelligence workforce can help protect us all.
Nov 30, 2022
Blog
Racism and Patient Safety, Abortion After Dobbs, Homelessness: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss racism and patient safety, abortion in America after the Dobbs ruling, how to address homelessness in Los Angeles, and more.
Oct 28, 2022
Commentary
Trauma in the U.S. Intelligence Community
Intelligence Community members work under strenuous conditions, face violent and difficult problems, and are bound by law to secrecy. Such responsibility heightens their risk of experiencing trauma and limits their recourse in managing it. Addressing their mental health needs is essential to their well-being and to the IC's quality of work.
Oct 11, 2022
Commentary
Setting Standards for Delivering High-Quality Care to Veterans with Invisible Wounds
Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, traumatic brain injury, and substance use disorders are common among post-9/11 veterans and can interfere with their employment, family life, engagement with their communities, and overall well-being. A shared definition and standards for high-quality care can help organizations better support veterans.
Sep 12, 2022
Research Brief
Standards for Delivering High-Quality Care to Veterans with Invisible Wounds
Depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance use disorders interfere with veterans' employment, family life, community engagement, and well-being. There are effective treatments but also barriers to accessing them. A set of standards can help identify providers who serve veterans and deliver high-quality care.
May 9, 2022
Report
Recommended Standards for Delivering High-Quality Care to Veterans with Invisible Wounds
The authors identified ten standards for the delivery of high-quality care for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, substance use disorders, and mild traumatic brain injury.
May 9, 2022

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Lynsay Ayer

Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist

Lynsay Ayer (she/her) is a senior behavioral and social scientist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. The overarching goals of her research are (a) to prevent violence and trauma (e.g., child maltreatment, suicide, disasters) and (b) prevent and treat…
Chloe Gomez

Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Chloe Gomez (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in the Community-Partnered Policy and Action stream at Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy analyst at RAND. She has an M.S.W. in clinical mental health and a B.A. in sociology, both from Boston College. Her research interests include…

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