Reyes, A. T., Muthukumar, V., Bhatta, T. R., Bombard, J. N., & Gangozo, W. J. (2020). Promoting resilience among college student veterans through an acceptance-and-commitment-therapy app: An intervention refinement study. Community Mental Health Journal, 56, 1206-1214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00617-4

Among student Veterans (i.e., those who pursue further education after serving in the military), an estimated 25% to 48% have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One intervention that may address student Veterans’ mental health needs is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which promotes resilience (i.e., faring well despite adversity) by training participants in mindfulness (i.e., focusing on feelings in the present moment) and acceptance of emotions (i.e., experiencing feelings without judgement). This pilot study (N=9) sought to develop and refine an ACT-based intervention designed to help student Veterans manage their PTSD symptoms by addressing five main participant outcomes, specifically, overall PTSD symptoms, rumination, experiential avoidance, mindfulness, and resilience, over the course of two weeks. Participants used a smartphone app to view modules and reported on the app’s acceptability (i.e., satisfaction with and usefulness of the intervention), their outcomes, and potential areas for improvement. The intervention app is generally acceptable and usable for student Veterans. The intervention also contributed to a decrease in PTSD symptoms.

Promoting resilience among college student veterans through an acceptance-and-commitment-therapy app: An intervention refinement study

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