Objective:
The overall goal of this proposal is to measure objective cognitive performance associated with firearm ownership and acquisition in order to elucidate potential cognitive-affective process disruptions that have been identified in recent studies of firearm owners. The primary objective of this project is to determine if there are differences in performance on objective measures of decision-making/risk taking, mental flexibility, and emotional bias among firearm owners and adults intending to acquire a firearm. The secondary objective is to examine potential associations among firearm status, trauma exposure, indicators of suicide risk, and objective cognitive performance across multiple domains. By focusing on these objectives, this project will confirm the associations among firearm ownership/acquisition, cognitive-affective processes, and behavioral outcomes identified in our prior work, and provide new directions for research focused on developing strategies designed to reduce firearm mortality. The inclusion of objective cognitive assessment allows for more detailed clarification of potential biobehavioral processes underlying the association between firearm ownership variables and suicide risk.
Funded By:
New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center
Project Status:
In progress
Principal Investigators:
Craig Bryan, PsyD ABPP, Darrin Aase, PhD ABPP
Amount Awarded:
$54,807