Patient experiences and reported effectiveness of a multimodal short-term pilot therapy group for veteran men with military sexual trauma.

Objective: Despite recognition of its prevalence and impact, little is known about treatment for veteran men with a history of military sexual trauma (MST). While research suggests that such veterans may suffer from gender-based distress that poses unique treatment challenges, MST-focused treatment draws upon contemporary PTSD best practices that may overlook gender. The current initial pilot study evaluated a multimodal, time-limited men's MST group therapy that integrated exposure- and mindfulness-based, psychoeducational, and psychodynamic group interventions.

Method: This study examined pre- and posttreatment data from patients who completed group treatment (n = 24). Three-fourths of patients were 60 years or older, over 80% Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Assessment data were collected using the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), an adaptation of the Recovery Assessment Scale, and open-ended written responses. Paired-samples t tests and effect sizes (Hedge's g) were calculated. Indictive thematic analysis was used for qualitative analysis.

Results: Qualitative and quantitative data showed improvements in shame, self-forgiveness, and belonginess. There were significant reductions from pre- to posttreatment in total PCL-5 score (g = -0.69) and all 4 symptom clusters (g = -0.51--0.71), and significant improvements in 8 out of 10 recovery items (g = 0.44-2.46).

Conclusions: More research is needed to assess whether veteran men with a history of MST benefit from treatment that provides multimodal, multitheoretical interventions that address gender-based symptoms in addition to PTSD. The results of this study support future research in a randomized controlled study.