Journal of traumatic stress
-
The Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory (DRRI) is a widely used instrument for assessing deployment-related risk and resilience factors among war veterans. A revision of this instrument was recently undertaken to enhance the DRRI’s applicability across a variety of deployment-related circumstances and military subgroups. ⋯ Finalized DRRI-2 scales demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability and criterion-related validity. The DRRI-2 can be applied to examine the role that psychosocial factors play in post deployment health and inform interventions aimed at reducing risk and enhancing resilience among war veterans.
-
This study examined the dyadic association of terror attack survivors’ and spouses’ internal resources, tendency to forgive (self, others,and situational forgiveness), self-esteem, and the external resource of social support, as associated with victims’ and spouses’ posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, using the actor–partner interdependence model. Based on lists by the One Family organization in Israel, 108 couples participated in the study. ⋯ The findings underscore the role of the survivor–spouse unit by highlighting the dyad relationship of internal and external resources as associated with both survivors’ and spouses’ PTSD symptoms. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
-
Loving-kindness meditation is a practice designed to enhance feelings of kindness and compassion for self and others. Loving-kindness meditation involves repetition of phrases of positive intention for self and others. We undertook an open pilot trial of loving-kindness meditation for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ⋯ There was evidence of mediation of reductions in PTSD symptoms and depression by enhanced self-compassion. Overall, loving-kindness meditation appeared safe and acceptable and was associated with reduced symptoms of PTSD and depression. Additional study of loving-kindness meditation for PTSD is warranted to determine whether the changes seen are due to the loving-kindness meditation intervention versus other influences, including concurrent receipt of other treatments.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A randomized clinical trial of cognitive processing therapy for veterans with PTSD related to military sexual trauma.
In this randomized controlled clinical trial, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in the treatment of self-reported and clinician-assessed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to military sexual trauma (MST), along with depressive symptoms. Eighty-six veterans (73 female, 13 male) randomly assigned to receive 12 individual sessions of either CPT or present-centered therapy (PCT) were included in analyses. Blinded assessments occurred at baseline, posttreatment, and 2, 4, and 6 months posttreatment. ⋯ All three primary outcome measures improved significantly, both clinically and statistically, across time in both treatment groups. Pre- and posttreatment effect sizes were mostly moderate to large (d = 0.30-1.02) and trended larger in the CPT group. Although the study was impacted by treatment fidelity issues, results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of CPT in reducing self-reported PTSD symptoms in a population of veterans with MST, expanding on established literature that has demonstrated the effectiveness of CPT in treating PTSD related to sexual assault in civilian populations.
-
Many U. S. Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans return from deployment with posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, but few veterans seek psychological help. ⋯ History of previous mental health care engagement was positively associated with help-seeking intentions from a mental health professional with a medium effect size, but unrelated to help-seeking intentions from a MD/APRN. Anticipated enacted stigma from any source, PTS, and greater perceived likelihood of deploying again were unrelated to help-seeking intentions from a mental health professional and MD/APRN. Implications for interventions aimed at decreasing self-stigma and increasing intention to seek help are discussed.