Adriel Boals
Biographic Data
| ID | 113879 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Adriel Boals |
| GIVEN NAMES | Adriel |
| FAMILY NAME | Boals |
| SIGNATURE | BOALS A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of North Texas |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7373-0694 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 28 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Identifying mechanisms of posttraumatic growth and recovery following moderate–severe traumatic brain injury
Results demonstrate the need to incorporate sociocognitive processes absent in rehabilitation frameworks to account for the scientific development of psychosocial growth and healing in the context of TBI. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
Investigating corroboration on the Stress-Related Growth Scale-Revised among romantic partners☆☆
Romantic partners corroborated individuals’ self-reported growth after trauma. • SRGS-R yielded lower growth reports compared to traditional PTG scales. • Findings support refining tools to assess perceived growth. The construct validity of self-reports of perceived posttraumatic growth (PTG) has been questioned in recent years. One response has been to modify standard assessments to improve their validity. The Stress-Related Growth Scale-Revised…
A direct comparison of the impact of experienced discrimination versus conventional potentially traumatic events
We argue that discrimination events are underrepresented in trauma research and should be included when considering common types of potentially traumatic events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
A hero's journey tale
Introduction: Burgeoning research has demonstrated that self-reports of posttraumatic growth assess perceived posttraumatic growth (PPTG), which should be disambiguated from genuine growth. One possible reason trauma survivors report PPTG is embedded cultural expectations that individuals should grow from adverse events. Contributing to this cultural expectation are popular hero's journey stories in which a protagonist overcomes adverse events, t…
Relations between trauma-based subgroups and posttrauma health outcomes
Findings further support the notion that dichotomizing participants as "trauma exposed" or "not trauma exposed" is overly simplistic and ignores important variability in trauma research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Impact of Potential Changes in US Immigration Policies on Distress and Mental Health of Latinx College Students
US President Donald Trump promised and delivered radical changes to US immigration policies. This study examined the extent to which a sample of college students were affected by such changes and subsequent associations with psychological health. The study was a survey of 401 college students from a large Hispanic Serving Institution. A total of 71% of participants reported being at least “a little bit” affected by potential changes in US immigra…
Stress and cognitive functioning during a pandemic
In this commentary we discuss a downstream consequence of increases in stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stress and anxiety can lead to mind wandering, which in turn competes for limited cognitive resources. We encourage researchers to be understanding and patient concerning the inevitable cognitive impact of the pandemic and subsequent reduced productivity levels from our students, colleagues, and ourselves. (PsycInfo Database Rec…
Shattered cell phones, but not shattered lives
Existing measures of posttraumatic growth (PTG), such as the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), have been criticized on their ability to assess genuine PTG. Specifically, individuals tend to report illusory growth after a traumatic experience, when no true growth has taken place, as a coping mechanism. Recent evidence suggests a new measure, the Stress Related Growth Scale-Revised (SRGS-R), is less prone to reports of illusory PTG. The aim of…
Making a biased jury decision
Reducing reports of illusory posttraumatic growth
Our findings suggest the SRGS-R is less prone to reports of illusory growth. Improved measurement of posttraumatic growth is vital to our understanding of how individuals grow from traumatic or stressful experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record
How did you hear the news? The role of traditional media, social media, and personal communication in flashbulb memory
Flashbulb memories are at the intersection of public and private event memory. We investigated whether the source of news (traditional media, social media, or another person) shaped how people remembered learning of an event. Individuals were asked how they learned of Osama bin Laden’s assassination immediately after the event and 7, 42, 224, or 365 days later. Initial memory reports from those who learned from traditional media showed enhanced p…
Examining the role of emotional valence of mind wandering
Adverse Events in Emerging Adulthood Are Associated with Increases in Neuroticism
Previous studies have produced mixed results when examining whether experiencing an adverse event can lead to changes in Neuroticism. We sought to examine this effect when (a) the event was relatively recent, (b) the event occurred during a relatively early development stage (i.e., emerging adulthood), and (c) the event was severely adverse. A sample of 1,108 undergraduates completed three measures of Neuroticism twice, separated by approximately…
Experimentally reducing event centrality using a modified expressive writing intervention
Shattering world assumptions
Shattered Assumptions theory (Janoff-Bulman, 1992) posits that experiencing a traumatic event has the potential to diminish the degree of optimism in the assumptions of the world (assumptive world), which could lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Prior research assessed the assumptive world with a measure that was recently reported to have poor psychometric properties (Kaler et al., 2008). The current study had 3 aims: (a) t…
Refining our ability to measure posttraumatic growth
Some investigators question the extent to which the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) measures perceived growth versus genuine positive change. The present study examined whether the PTGI is more likely to assess changes in emotional and psychological functioning when only including events high in event centrality. Event centrality refers to the extent to which an individual construes a stressful experience as a core part of the identity. Fol…
Content Analysis of Expressive Writing Narratives About Stressful Relational Events Using Interpersonal Decentering
This study used secondary analysis of data from two studies of expressive writing about stressful relational events to first describe the relations of word use to social-cognitive maturity of role-taking using Feffer’s Interpersonal Decentering scoring system and then to test hypotheses about active processing of relational information versus event closure. This scoring system for imaginative Thematic Apperception Test stories was adapted for exp…
The unique contributions of positive and negative religious coping to posttraumatic growth and PTSD
Perceiving a Negative Event as Central to One’s Identity Partially Mediates Age Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
The results are consistent with the Socioemotional Selectivity Theory view that older adults tend to use cognitive strategies designed to protect emotional health
Memory in posttraumatic stress disorder
One hundred fifteen undergraduates rated 15 word-cued memories and their 3 most negatively stressful, 3 most positive, and 7 most important events and completed tests of personality and depression. Eighty-nine also recorded involuntary memories online for 1 week. In the first 3-way comparisons needed to test existing theories, comparisons were made of memories of stressful events versus control events and involuntary versus voluntary memories in …
Word Use in Emotional Narratives about Failed Romantic Relationships and Subsequent Mental Health
The authors investigated how word use in a stressful narrative is related to levels of grief and intrusive and avoidant thinking associated with the stressful event. A total of 218 college students who had experienced the breakup of a romantic relationship during the preceding 12 months produced a written narrative of the relationship and subsequent breakup using an expressive writing procedure. Participants used more negative emotion, cause, sen…
Word Use in Emotional Narratives about Failed Romantic Relationships and Subsequent Mental Health
The authors investigated how word use in a stressful narrative is related to levels of grief and intrusive and avoidant thinking associated with the stressful event. A total of 218 college students who had experienced the breakup of a romantic relationship during the preceding 12 months produced a written narrative of the relationship and subsequent breakup using an expressive writing procedure. Participants used more negative emotion, cause, sen…
How did you hear the news? The role of traditional media, social media, and personal communication in flashbulb memory
Flashbulb memories are at the intersection of public and private event memory. We investigated whether the source of news (traditional media, social media, or another person) shaped how people remembered learning of an event. Individuals were asked how they learned of Osama bin Laden’s assassination immediately after the event and 7, 42, 224, or 365 days later. Initial memory reports from those who learned from traditional media showed enhanced p…
Making a biased jury decision
Perceiving a Negative Event as Central to One’s Identity Partially Mediates Age Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
The results are consistent with the Socioemotional Selectivity Theory view that older adults tend to use cognitive strategies designed to protect emotional health
Word Use in Emotional Narratives about Failed Romantic Relationships and Subsequent Mental Health
The authors investigated how word use in a stressful narrative is related to levels of grief and intrusive and avoidant thinking associated with the stressful event. A total of 218 college students who had experienced the breakup of a romantic relationship during the preceding 12 months produced a written narrative of the relationship and subsequent breakup using an expressive writing procedure. Participants used more negative emotion, cause, sen…
Memory in posttraumatic stress disorder
One hundred fifteen undergraduates rated 15 word-cued memories and their 3 most negatively stressful, 3 most positive, and 7 most important events and completed tests of personality and depression. Eighty-nine also recorded involuntary memories online for 1 week. In the first 3-way comparisons needed to test existing theories, comparisons were made of memories of stressful events versus control events and involuntary versus voluntary memories in …
The unique contributions of positive and negative religious coping to posttraumatic growth and PTSD
Perceiving a Negative Event as Central to One’s Identity Partially Mediates Age Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
The results are consistent with the Socioemotional Selectivity Theory view that older adults tend to use cognitive strategies designed to protect emotional health
Content Analysis of Expressive Writing Narratives About Stressful Relational Events Using Interpersonal Decentering
This study used secondary analysis of data from two studies of expressive writing about stressful relational events to first describe the relations of word use to social-cognitive maturity of role-taking using Feffer’s Interpersonal Decentering scoring system and then to test hypotheses about active processing of relational information versus event closure. This scoring system for imaginative Thematic Apperception Test stories was adapted for exp…
Refining our ability to measure posttraumatic growth
Some investigators question the extent to which the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) measures perceived growth versus genuine positive change. The present study examined whether the PTGI is more likely to assess changes in emotional and psychological functioning when only including events high in event centrality. Event centrality refers to the extent to which an individual construes a stressful experience as a core part of the identity. Fol…
Adverse Events in Emerging Adulthood Are Associated with Increases in Neuroticism
Previous studies have produced mixed results when examining whether experiencing an adverse event can lead to changes in Neuroticism. We sought to examine this effect when (a) the event was relatively recent, (b) the event occurred during a relatively early development stage (i.e., emerging adulthood), and (c) the event was severely adverse. A sample of 1,108 undergraduates completed three measures of Neuroticism twice, separated by approximately…
Experimentally reducing event centrality using a modified expressive writing intervention
Shattering world assumptions
Shattered Assumptions theory (Janoff-Bulman, 1992) posits that experiencing a traumatic event has the potential to diminish the degree of optimism in the assumptions of the world (assumptive world), which could lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Prior research assessed the assumptive world with a measure that was recently reported to have poor psychometric properties (Kaler et al., 2008). The current study had 3 aims: (a) t…
Examining the role of emotional valence of mind wandering
Reducing reports of illusory posttraumatic growth
Our findings suggest the SRGS-R is less prone to reports of illusory growth. Improved measurement of posttraumatic growth is vital to our understanding of how individuals grow from traumatic or stressful experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record
How did you hear the news? The role of traditional media, social media, and personal communication in flashbulb memory
Flashbulb memories are at the intersection of public and private event memory. We investigated whether the source of news (traditional media, social media, or another person) shaped how people remembered learning of an event. Individuals were asked how they learned of Osama bin Laden’s assassination immediately after the event and 7, 42, 224, or 365 days later. Initial memory reports from those who learned from traditional media showed enhanced p…
Shattered cell phones, but not shattered lives
Existing measures of posttraumatic growth (PTG), such as the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), have been criticized on their ability to assess genuine PTG. Specifically, individuals tend to report illusory growth after a traumatic experience, when no true growth has taken place, as a coping mechanism. Recent evidence suggests a new measure, the Stress Related Growth Scale-Revised (SRGS-R), is less prone to reports of illusory PTG. The aim of…
Making a biased jury decision
Stress and cognitive functioning during a pandemic
In this commentary we discuss a downstream consequence of increases in stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stress and anxiety can lead to mind wandering, which in turn competes for limited cognitive resources. We encourage researchers to be understanding and patient concerning the inevitable cognitive impact of the pandemic and subsequent reduced productivity levels from our students, colleagues, and ourselves. (PsycInfo Database Rec…
Impact of Potential Changes in US Immigration Policies on Distress and Mental Health of Latinx College Students
US President Donald Trump promised and delivered radical changes to US immigration policies. This study examined the extent to which a sample of college students were affected by such changes and subsequent associations with psychological health. The study was a survey of 401 college students from a large Hispanic Serving Institution. A total of 71% of participants reported being at least “a little bit” affected by potential changes in US immigra…
A hero's journey tale
Introduction: Burgeoning research has demonstrated that self-reports of posttraumatic growth assess perceived posttraumatic growth (PPTG), which should be disambiguated from genuine growth. One possible reason trauma survivors report PPTG is embedded cultural expectations that individuals should grow from adverse events. Contributing to this cultural expectation are popular hero's journey stories in which a protagonist overcomes adverse events, t…
Relations between trauma-based subgroups and posttrauma health outcomes
Findings further support the notion that dichotomizing participants as "trauma exposed" or "not trauma exposed" is overly simplistic and ignores important variability in trauma research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
A direct comparison of the impact of experienced discrimination versus conventional potentially traumatic events
We argue that discrimination events are underrepresented in trauma research and should be included when considering common types of potentially traumatic events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
Identifying mechanisms of posttraumatic growth and recovery following moderate–severe traumatic brain injury
Results demonstrate the need to incorporate sociocognitive processes absent in rehabilitation frameworks to account for the scientific development of psychosocial growth and healing in the context of TBI. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
Investigating corroboration on the Stress-Related Growth Scale-Revised among romantic partners☆☆
Romantic partners corroborated individuals’ self-reported growth after trauma. • SRGS-R yielded lower growth reports compared to traditional PTG scales. • Findings support refining tools to assess perceived growth. The construct validity of self-reports of perceived posttraumatic growth (PTG) has been questioned in recent years. One response has been to modify standard assessments to improve their validity. The Stress-Related Growth Scale-Revised…
Psychology (19 works) · Clinical Psychology (12 works) · Clinical Psychology (9 works) · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research (9 works) · Psychiatry (8 works) · Identity, Memory, and Therapy (7 works) · Social Psychology (7 works) · Cognition (6 works) · Cognitive psychology (6 works) · Developmental psychology (6 works)