Gina Owens

See also: Curriculum Vitae | Abstracts of Recent Publications

Research statement

My primary research interest is in the area of traumatic stress and coping. Broadly, I am interested in the cognitive appraisal processes that occur after traumatic events and how these impact mental health and coping. I currently focus on the meaning-making process for military veterans after combat exposure and its effect on symptoms such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. One of my recent research projects explored the relationships between guilt, meaning in life, and PTSD severity for veterans of all service eras. I have also conducted some research related to mental health needs and barriers to mental health access for female veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to my main research focus of traumatic stress, I have conducted some research related to minority stress experiences for diverse populations.

Selected Publications

Owens, G. P., Herrera, C. J., & Whitesell, A. A. (in press). A preliminary investigation of mental health needs and barriers to mental health care for female veterans of OIF/OEF. Traumatology.

Owens, G. P., Dashevsky, B., Chard, K. M., Mohamed, S., Haji, U., Heppner, P. S., & Baker, D. G. (2009). Therelationship between childhood trauma, combat exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder in male veterans. Military Psychology, 21, 114-125.

Owens, G. P., Chard, K. M., & Cox, T.A. (2008). The relationship between maladaptive cognitions, anger expression, and posttraumatic stress disorder among veterans in residential treatment. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 17, 439-452.

Owens, G. P., Moradi, B., & Neimeyer, G. J. (2008). Work-related perceptions of faculty in clinical and counseling psychology academic training programs. Psychology Journal, 5, 25-39.

Szymanski, D. M., & Owens, G. P. (2008). Do coping styles moderate or mediate the relationship between internalized heterosexism and sexual minority women’s psychological distress? Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32, 95-104.

Owens, G. P., Riggle, E. D. B., & Rostosky, S. S. (2007). Mental health services access for sexual minority individuals. Sexuality Research and Social Policy: Journal of NSRC, 4, 92-99.

Owens, G. P., & Chard, K. M. (2006). PTSD severity and cognitive reactions to trauma among an undergraduate sample. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 13, 23-36.

Owens, G. P., Baker, D.G., Kasckow, J., Ciesla, J. A., & Mohamed, S. (2005). Review of assessment and treatment of PTSD among elderly veterans. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20, 1118-1130.

Owens, G. P., & Chard, K. M. (2003). Psychiatric diagnoses among women reporting child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 27, 1075-1082.

Rostosky, S. S., Owens, G. P., Zimmerman, R., & Riggle, E. (2003). Same-sex attraction, school belonging, and alcohol and marijuana use in rural high school students. Journal of Adolescence, 26, 741-751.

Owens, G. P., & Chard, K. M. (2001). Cognitive distortions among women reporting childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16, 178-192.

Owens, G. P., Pike, J. L., & Chard, K. M. (2001). Treatment effects of cognitive processing therapy on cognitive distortions of female child sexual abuse survivors. Behavior Therapy, 32, 413-424.

Gina Owens

Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Kentucky (2004)

Email: gowens4@utk.edu

Key words: traumatic stress and coping; military veterans; mental health access