While spouses of military veterans have not been directly exposed to threats during deployment, they often experience a substantial post-deployment-related health burden while living with and... Show moreWhile spouses of military veterans have not been directly exposed to threats during deployment, they often experience a substantial post-deployment-related health burden while living with and caring for a partner with deployment-related mental health issues. Drawing from in-depth interviews, this study examined how female spouses of military veterans deal with the psychosocial effects of deployment. We show how these women cope. They keep their family lives going by maintaining hope for the future. We argue that hope is a dynamic practice between reality and possibility, and different forms of hope co-exist. These range from temporary formulations of present-centered hope, and permanent hopes directed towards the future. We illustrate how spouses challenge discourses around curative futures and adjust their hopes to maintain a more satisfactory everyday life and a positive horizon towards the future. Show less
Objective Military members and veterans are at elevated risk of treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (TR-PTSD) due to higher rates of exposure to potentially traumatic events during... Show moreObjective Military members and veterans are at elevated risk of treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (TR-PTSD) due to higher rates of exposure to potentially traumatic events during the course of duty. Knowledge of TR-PTSD is limited, and specific protocols or evidence-based TR-PTSD therapies are lacking. Multimodal motion-assisted memory desensitization and reconsolidation (3MDR) therapy is an emerging intervention for combat-related TR-PTSD. The purpose of this study was to preliminarily assess the effectiveness of 3MDR in addressing TR-PTSD in Canadian military members and veterans. Methods This study is a longitudinal mixed-methods clinical trial. English-speaking military members and veterans aged 18-60 with TR-PTSD were recruited to participate. The intervention consisted of six sessions of 3MDR therapy. Quantitative data were collected pretreatment, posttreatment, and longitudinally at 1, 3, and 6 months after completion of 3MDR. Results Results from the first 11 participants to complete the 3MDR protocol exhibited statistically significant improvement (surviving multiple comparison correction) in clinically administered and self-reported scores for PTSD (CAPS-5 and PCL-5), moral injury (MISS-M-SF), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), emotional regulation (DERS-18), and resilience (CD-RS-25). Conclusion The preliminary and exploratory results from this clinical trial support the growing body of literature illustrating 3MDR as an effective treatment for military-related TR-PTSD. These results are notable given participants' previous lack of success with frontline psychotherapeutic and pharmacological interventions. Given that there are currently very limited treatment options for TR-PTSD, 3MDR could prove to be a valuable treatment option for military members and veterans with TR-PTSD. Show less
Multi-modal motion-assisted memory desensitization and reconsolidation therapy (3MDR), an interactive, virtual reality-assisted, exposure-based intervention for PTSD, has shown promising results... Show moreMulti-modal motion-assisted memory desensitization and reconsolidation therapy (3MDR), an interactive, virtual reality-assisted, exposure-based intervention for PTSD, has shown promising results for treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (TR-PTSD) among military members (MMs) and veterans in randomized controlled trials (RCT). Previous research has suggested that emotional regulation (ER) and emotional dysregulation (ED) may be factors which are correlated with symptom severity and maintenance of TR-PTSD. This embedded mixed-methods pilot study (n = 9) sought to explore the impact of 3MDR on ER and ED of MMs and veterans. Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS-18) data were collected at baseline, prior to each session, and at one week, one month, and three months postintervention and analyzed. Qualitative data collected from sessions, debriefs, and follow-up interviews were transcribed and descriptively analyzed. Results demonstrated statistically significant decreases in DERS-18 scores from preintervention to postintervention at each timepoint. Qualitatively, participants perceived improvements in ER within specified DERS-18 domains. We describe how 3MDR's unique and novel approach addresses ED through cognitive-motor stimulation, narration, divergent thinking, reappraisal of aversive stimuli, dual-task processing, and reconsolidation of traumatic memories. More studies are needed to better understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which 3MDR addresses ER and PTSD. Show less
Veelen, N. van; Boonekamp, R.C.; Schoonderwoerd, T.A.J.; Emmerik, M.L. van; Nijdam, M.J.; Bruinsma, B.; ... ; Vermetten, E. 2021
Background: Childhood trauma and combat-related trauma are both associated withdecreased psychosocial functioning. Coping strategies play an important role in the adjust-ment to traumatic events... Show moreBackground: Childhood trauma and combat-related trauma are both associated withdecreased psychosocial functioning. Coping strategies play an important role in the adjust-ment to traumatic events.Objective: The present study examined childhood trauma and the mediating role of copingstrategies in adult psychological symptoms in a non-clinical military population afterdeployment to Afghanistan. Additionally, the moderating role of coping strategies invulnerability to combat events was explored.Method: Participants (N = 932) were drawn from a prospective study assessing psychologi-cal complaints (SCL-90), early trauma (ETISR-SF), combat-related events and coping strate-gies (Brief COPE). Mediation analyses via joint significance testing and moderation analyseswere performed.Results: Childhood trauma is related to adult symptoms of general anxiety, depression andproblems concerning interpersonal sensitivity through the mediation of self-blame asa coping strategy. Some evidence was found that self-blame moderated vulnerability tocombat-related events resulting in psychological complaints, specifically symptoms of anxi-ety and depression.Conclusions: Military personnel should be made aware of self-criticizing maladaptive beliefsystems when dealing with aversive events. Negative beliefs about oneself and distortedtrauma-related cognitions may have a basis in childhood events. Self-blame cognitions maybe a potential mechanism of change in empirically supported trauma interventions such ascognitive processing therapy. Show less
Gelderen, M.J. van; Nijdam, M.J.; Vermetten, E. 2018
