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179by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), emphasizes mindfulness principles to promote nonjudgmental awareness of suicidal thoughts and urges. We examine hopelessness as a predictor of treatment engagement in 112 Veterans undergoing MBCT-S. Implications of these findings on factors influencing treatment attendance, group psychotherapy efficacy, and further dissemination of suicide prevention treatments for Veterans will be discussed.POSTER 77THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR AFTERMATH: ELEVATED DEPRESSION RATES AND FUTURE IMPLICATIONSSAMANTHA VEGA (RUTGERS UNIVERSITY%u2013CAMDEN) While health outcomes near U.S. nuclear sites have been documented, there is still a lack of quantitative studies on depression around the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station. This study utilized ArcGIS Pro (Geographic Information System) and Excel to analyze depression prevalence, revealing significantly greater rates of depression near the site, increasing with proximity. These findings underscore the urgency to address and prevent depression risks in affected areas before this plant fully reopens.POSTER 78WHY CHILDREN STRUGGLE REMEMBERING: THE ROLE OF ATTENTION AND HIPPOCAMPUS IN MEMORYCANSU ERKAN (UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND), TRACY RIGGINS (UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK), LILY NOLAN (UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK), ISABELLA SCHNEIDER (UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK), ERIN RATLIFF (UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK) This study examined relationships between episodic memory, attention, and hippocampal subfield volumes in 49 preschool-aged children. Greater attention difficulties were associated with poorer memory performance and larger CA3 and CA4/DG volumes. Larger hippocampal subfields were linked to worse memory performance, potentially reflecting inefficiencies in cognitive development or task demands. These findings highlight attention's critical role in memory-related tasks and suggest the need for further exploration of brain-behavior interactions and functional dynamics in early childhood.POSTER 79AUTISTIC TRAITS LINKED TO SELF-CRITICAL RUMINATION: SELF-COMPASSION AS A MEDIATORUSHA BARAHMAND (QUEENS COLLEGE CUNY), FAIZA MUGHAL (CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, QUEENS COLLEGE), REYANA PERSAUD (CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, QUEENS COLLEGE), AMANDA SEEPERSAUD (UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA), ELISHEVA CONWAY (CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, QUEENS COLLEGE), AYALA FEDER (CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, QUEENS COLLEGE) Individuals with autistic traits have difficulties in social interactions, communication, and cognitive flexibility, making them vulnerable to negative psychological outcomes. A significant factor contributing to these outcomes is self-critical rumination. The current study found that the link between autistic traits and selfcritical rumination is mediated by self-compassion, emphasizing the importance of incorporating selfcompassion, a protective buffer against the adverse effects of self-critical rumination, into therapeutic approaches focusing on reducing self-judgment and promoting acceptance of neurodiversity.POSTER 80WILLINGNESS TO SIMULATE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS OR DIAGNOSIS IN VARIOUS SETTINGSRICHARD CONTI (KEAN UNIVERSITY), JOSEPH PRECKAJLO (FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY), ERICA BAER (KEAN UNIVERSITY), PALAK VAIDYA (KEAN UNIVERSITY), MELANIE CONTI (SAINT ELIZABETH UNIVERSITY) Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and a 17-item self-report willingness to malinger (simulation, dissimulation, exaggeration, false imputation) questionnaire. Between 25.5%-33.2% of participants indicated they would either \\ malinger COVID-19 symptoms in a work or school setting, and between 12.5% and 33.2% would either \symptoms in the various situations (e.g., criminal, civil) presented. No significant differences were found for age, gender, income, or GPA.179Saturday, March 8