https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Lopez2021

Lopez, C. M., Gilmore, A. K., Brown, W. J., Hahn, C. K., Muzzy, W., Grubaugh, A., & Acierno, R. (2022). Effects of emotion dysregulation on post-treatment post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms among women veterans with military sexual trauma. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(15-16), NP13143-NP13161. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211005134

This study examined 151 women Veteran survivors of military sexual trauma who completed 12 weeks of either telehealth or in-person prolonged exposure therapy. Therapy outcomes (i.e., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and depression) were considered in the context of the treatment delivery mode (telehealth vs. in-person) and client treatment satisfaction. Changes in difficulties with emotion regulation (e.g., low emotional awareness or acceptance, poor impulse control, limited coping strategies) while accounting for demographics (e.g., age) were also considered. Women Veteran survivors of military sexual trauma appeared to benefit from prolonged exposure therapy regardless of the mode of treatment delivery.

https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211005134

Mental health
Trauma
Veterans

Multiple branches

Veteran

Veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study

Lopez, Cristina M., Gilmore, Amanda K., Brown, Wilson J., Hahn, Christine K., Muzzy, Wendy, Grubaugh, Anouk, Acierno, Ron

Military sexual trauma (MST), defined as sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment while in the military, is associated with increased risk of long-term mental and physical health problems, with the most common being symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. In addition to PTSD and depression, MST is linked to difficulties in emotion regulation as well as poor treatment engagement. Thus, it is important to examine these correlates, and how they affect postintervention symptom reduction in this vulnerable population. The current study presents secondary data analyses from a randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of in-person versus telemedicine delivery of prolonged exposure therapy for female veterans with MST-related PTSD (n = 151). Results of the study found that changes in difficulties with emotion regulation predicted postintervention depressive symptoms but not postintervention PTSD symptoms. Neither postintervention depressive nor PTSD symptoms were affected by treatment dosing (i.e., number of sessions attended) nor treatment condition (i.e., in-person vs. telemedicine). Findings from the current study provide preliminary evidence that decreases in difficulties with emotion regulation during PTSD treatment are associated with decreases in depressive symptom severity.

SAGE Journals

Article
REACH Publication

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