Military personnel and veterans are at heightened risk for exposure to traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as intimate relationship problems associated with PTSD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative efficacy of CBCT and PE in improving intimate relationship functioning in active duty military personnel or veterans and their intimate partners; both conditions were hypothesized to significantly improve PTSD. Method: In this study, 32 military service members or veterans with PTSD and their intimate partners were randomized to receive either Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD ( = 15; CBCT; [Monson, C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is substantial and often results in pervasive functional impairments. Although evidence-based treatments for PTSD are established, there remains room for improvement as many individuals continue to meet diagnostic criteria even after successful treatment completion. Cannabidiol (CBD) has attracted considerable attention based on its potential to treat a myriad of health conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe assessed the interrater reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Short Form (SITBI-SF) in a sample of 1,944 active duty service members and veterans seeking services for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions. The SITBI-SF demonstrated high interrater reliability and good convergent and discriminant validity. The measurement properties of the SITBI-SF were comparable across service members and veterans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Improved, efficient, and acceptable treatments are needed for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Objective: To determine the efficacy of 2 compressed prolonged exposure (PE) therapy outpatient treatments for combat-related PTSD.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted among military personnel and veterans at 4 sites in Texas from 2017 to 2019.
Prolonged exposure therapy (PE) is an efficacious treatment for active duty service members and veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, PE is sometimes associated with high dropout rates, limited tolerability, and temporary symptom exacerbation during treatment. Stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) are an emerging treatment that has the potential to enhance outcomes for PTSD when combined with trauma-focused psychotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To evaluate the effects of interdisciplinary pain management on pain-related disability and opioid reduction in polymorbid pain patients with 2 or more comorbid psychiatric conditions.
Design: Two-arm randomized controlled trial testing a 3-week intervention with assessments at pre-treatment, post-treatment, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up.
Setting: Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility.
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if the efficacy of imaginal exposure for symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could be improved by adding aerobic exercise. We hypothesized that aerobic exercise would enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy. Active duty service members with clinically significant symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSD Checklist-Stressor-Specific Version, [PCL-S], ≥25) were randomized into one of four conditions: exercise only; imaginal exposure only; imaginal exposure plus exercise; no exercise/no exposure therapy (control).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy (CBCT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has demonstrated efficacy for improving PTSD and comorbid symptoms and relationship adjustment. To enhance treatment efficiency and scalability, we developed a 2-day, abbreviated, intensive, multicouple group version of CBCT for PTSD (AIM-CBCT for PTSD). Prior work demonstrated that AIM-CBCT for PTSD wasassociated with reductions in PTSD and comorbid symptoms in a sample of 24 post-9/11 active duty military or veteran couples who received the treatment in a retreat format over a single weekend.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCommunity mental health providers increasingly serve veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, recent surveys find that less than 20% of community providers are adequately trained to implement evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for PTSD. Since 2017, the STRONG STAR Training Initiative (SSTI) model has adapted traditional learning collaboratives aimed at increasing availability of EBTs for PTSD in community settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe STRONG STAR Consortium (South Texas Research Organizational Network Guiding Studies on Trauma and Resilience) and the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD are interdisciplinary and multi-institutional research consortia focused on the detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid conditions in military personnel and veterans. This manuscript outlines the consortia's state-of-the-science collaborative research model and how this can be used as a roadmap for future trauma-related research. STRONG STAR was initially funded for 5 years in 2008 by the U.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: Behavioral therapies such as the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) are recommended as the first-line treatment for Tourette's Disorder. This treatment approach is comprised of three central components: habit reversal training, functional assessment/intervention, and relaxation training. Despite its combined efficacy, the contribution of each therapeutic component in CBIT for reducing tic severity remains undetermined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMilitary service members and first responders experience significant trauma exposure in the line of duty. Service members who transition to first-responder positions may be at an increased risk for developing PTSD due to the cumulative effects of trauma exposure. A common criticism of the standard delivery methods for most evidence-based treatments for PTSD is high dropout rates.
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September 2021
Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD) is associated with improvements in patients' PTSD symptoms, partners' psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction. However, little is known about whether CBCT for PTSD is associated with changes in other relationship domains that have theoretical and clinical relevance to the relational context of PTSD. The current study is a secondary analysis of relational outcomes from an uncontrolled, within-group trial designed to examine whether an abbreviated, intensive, multi-couple group version of CBCT for PTSD (AIM-CBCT for PTSD) delivered in a retreat during a single weekend was associated with improvements in PTSD symptoms and relationship satisfaction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD; Monson & Fredman, 2012) is efficacious in improving PTSD symptoms and relationship adjustment among couples with PTSD. However, there is a need for more efficient delivery formats to maximize engagement and retention and to achieve faster outcomes in multiple domains. This nonrandomized trial was designed to pilot an abbreviated, intensive, multi-couple group version of CBCT for PTSD (AIM-CBCT for PTSD) delivered over a single weekend for 24 couples that included an active-duty service member or veteran with PTSD who had deployed in support of combat operations following September 11, 2001.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCommunity mental health providers play an essential role in delivering services to veterans who either have limited access to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities or who prefer to seek care outside of the VA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCombat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychological health condition in military service members and veterans who have deployed to the combat theater since September 11, 2001. One of the highest research priorities for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs is to develop and evaluate the most efficient and efficacious treatments possible for combat-related PTSD. However, the treatment of combat-related PTSD in military service members and veterans has been significantly more challenging than the treatment of PTSD in civilians.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Chronic pain poses a significant problem for the US military. The benefits of self-management treatments for chronic pain are well-documented, but interpersonal responses also influence physical and psychological health and may not be addressed through self-management treatments alone. The current study examines whether perceived interpersonal responses to pain, as measured by the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), change as a result of participation in an intensive pain management program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent randomized clinical trials have established the efficacy of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) in treating children and adults with Tourette syndrome and persistent tic disorders. However, the standard CBIT protocol uses a weekly outpatient treatment format (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOver the past decade, there has been an enormous increase in research and scientific publications targeting psychological resiliency. However, compared to the research on the neurobiology of stress, resiliency research is in its relative infancy. Much of the resiliency research has focused on theoretical models and the conceptualization of psychological resiliency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Behavioral Health Measure (BHM) is a brief self-report measure of general psychological distress and functioning developed for the tracking of mental health outcomes in outpatient psychotherapy settings (Kopta & Lowry, 2002). Although the BHM is used in integrated primary care behavioral health clinics, the scale's psychometric properties have not been evaluated in these settings. The current study investigated the BHM's psychometric properties, including its factor structure and reliability, and presents normative data from 3 large integrated primary care clinics.
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