Accuracy, Acceptability, and Burden of an Integrated Screening Approach to Facilitate the Delivery of Tailored Sexual Assault Prevention in the U.S. Air Force.

This paper examines accuracy, acceptability, and respondent burden of integrated screening to facilitate tailored sexual assault (SA) prevention program delivery in a basic military training (BMT) environment. Trainees ( = 5,951) received tailored prevention content based on self-reported sex, sexual orientation, prior SA victimization and perpetration, and past-month post-traumatic stress symptoms. Bivariate analyses examined trainee-reported screener accuracy, acceptability, and burden, including differences by tailoring-targeted subgroups (e.

Biofeedback-Assisted Resilience Training for Traumatic and Operational Stress: Preliminary Analysis of a Self-Delivered Digital Health Methodology.

Background: Psychological resilience is critical to minimize the health effects of traumatic events. Trauma may induce a chronic state of hyperarousal, resulting in problems such as anxiety, insomnia, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Mind-body practices, such as relaxation breathing and mindfulness meditation, help to reduce arousal and may reduce the likelihood of such psychological distress.

Perceptions of High-Risk Situations for Sexual Assault: Gender Differences in the U.S. Air Force.

This study explored U.S. Air Force service members' perceptions of high-risk situations for sexual assault victimization.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in U.S. Military Primary Care: Trajectories and Predictors of One-Year Prognosis.

We examined the longitudinal course of primary care patients in the active duty Army with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and identified prognostic indicators of PTSD severity. Data were drawn from a 6-site randomized trial of collaborative primary care for PTSD and dpression in the military. Subjects were 474 soldiers with PTSD (scores ≥ 50 on the PTSD Checklist -Civilian Version).

Centrally Assisted Collaborative Telecare for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Among Military Personnel Attending Primary Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: It is often difficult for members of the US military to access high-quality care for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Objective: To determine effectiveness of a centrally assisted collaborative telecare (CACT) intervention for PTSD and depression in military primary care.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The STEPS-UP study (Stepped Enhancement of PTSD Services Using Primary Care) is a randomized trial comparing CACT with usual integrated mental health care for PTSD or depression.

Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Active-Duty Military Personnel: Utilization of Chaplains and Other Mental Health Service Providers.

Military chaplains not only conduct religious services, but also provide counseling and spiritual support to military service members, operating as liaisons between soldiers and mental health professionals. In this study, active-duty soldiers (N = 889) reported help-seeking behaviors and mental health. Using logistic regressions, we describe the issues for which soldiers reported seeking help, then outline the characteristics of those who are most likely to seek help from a chaplain.

Collaborating across the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to integrate mental health and chaplaincy services.

Background: Recognizing that clergy and spiritual care providers are a key part of mental health care systems, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) jointly examined chaplains' current and potential roles in caring for veterans and service members with mental health needs.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the intersection of chaplain and mental health care practices in VA and DoD in order to determine if improvement is needed, and if so, to develop actionable recommendations as indicated by evaluation findings.

Design: A 38-member multidisciplinary task group partnered with researchers in designing, implementing, and interpreting a mixed methods study that included: 1) a quantitative survey of VA and DoD chaplains; and 2) qualitative interviews with mental health providers and chaplains.

Chaplaincy and mental health in the department of Veterans affairs and department of defense.

Chaplains play important roles in caring for Veterans and Service members with mental health problems. As part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Integrated Mental Health Strategy, we used a sequential approach to examining intersections between chaplaincy and mental health by gathering and building upon: 1) input from key subject matter experts; 2) quantitative data from the VA / DoD Chaplain Survey (N = 2,163; response rate of 75% in VA and 60% in DoD); and 3) qualitative data from site visits to 33 VA and DoD facilities. Findings indicate that chaplains are extensively involved in caring for individuals with mental health problems, yet integration between mental health and chaplaincy is frequently limited due to difficulties between the disciplines in establishing familiarity and trust.

Prevalence of perceived stress and mental health indicators among reserve-component and active-duty military personnel.

Objectives: We examined stress levels and other indicators of mental health in reservists and active-duty military personnel by deployment status.

Methods: We used data from the Department of Defense Health-Related Behaviors surveys, which collect comprehensive, population-based data for reserve and active-duty forces. Data were collected from 18 ,342 reservists and 16, 146 active-duty personnel.

Socio-cultural factors that foster use and abuse of alcohol among a sample of enlisted personnel at four Navy and Marine Corps installations.

Rates of heavy drinking are consistently higher among U.S. military personnel than among civilians, particularly among young male personnel.

Substance use and mental health trends among U.S. military active duty personnel: key findings from the 2008 DoD Health Behavior Survey.

Objective: Examine substance use and mental health issues among U.S. military personnel.

An evaluation of a sexual assault prevention and advocacy program for U.S. Navy personnel.

To address the needs of Navy personnel (and dependents), the Navy implemented the Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program. The SAVI program has two components, namely, a presentation/training component and an advocacy component. The presentation/training component involves education designed to increase awareness and prevention of sexual victimization, delivered to all military and civilian personnel through presentations, and training of SAVI advocates.