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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a commonly occurring mental health problem facing military personnel and veterans. The constant problems that plague those with PTSD can cause them to lead a lower quality of life with potential development of depression and anxiety commonly prevalent in those with the mental disorder. This qualitative study aims to research ways to provide positive pathways to care for members of the UK Armed Forces receiving treatment for PTSD by examining United States PTSD programs and studies performed on efficacy of these programs. This study will show what has worked in American PTSD programs under the Department of Veterans Affairs and what can be applied for the UK Armed Forces.
Research Hypothesis
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has various programs available to help military personnel and veterans cope with PTSD. Information collected from studies assessing these programs' effectiveness will be used to provide more effective treatment options for the UK Armed Forces suffering from PTSD.
Literature Review
This brief literature review will provide a basic understanding of the need for a systematic review of U.S. based PTSD programs by showing strategies and programs that have proven successful in treating PTSD and a qualitative study demonstrating the problems experienced by UK military personnel that experience PTSD. This qualitative study serves as the basis for an exploration in understanding what treatment modalities are effective for the treatment of PTSD.
The qualitative study selected for this literature review covers several aspects of why those in the military may seek or not seek treatment for their PTSD. An interesting and noteworthy finding was the perception of importance of having someone there to witness their difficulties. "Participants perceived the importance of having a trusted witness to their difficulties who could point out something was seriously wrong. These supported participants to accept that their difficulties were serious and that they needed to seek help" (Murphy, Hunt, Luzon, & Greenberg, 2014, p. 5). Participants in the study also noted the need for a 'safe space' to allow them the chance to realize something was wrong. This would then provide them the motivation to get help.
A final key aspect of the study showed the need for participants to experience normalization "Participants spoke about the positive experience of learning that the difficulties they were experiencing were similar to those experienced by other people" (Murphy, Hunt, Luzon, & Greenberg, 2014, p. 5). There were other aspects of treatment or assessment...
However, these are the most important in relation to understanding what is being done in the United States to help military personnel and veterans with this disorder.
The next article plays into the themes or sub-themes discovered in the previous study. Meaning, the researchers identified a model that associated personal resources with PTSD severity.
The SEM model indicated that (1) a robust latent variable named personal resources (indicated by social support, unit cohesion, and trait resilience) was negatively associated with PTSD severity; (2) personal resources were negatively associated with negative posttraumatic cognitions; (3) negative posttraumatic cognitions fully mediated the association between personal resources and PTSD severity (Zang et al., 2017, p. 18).
The last article covers effective treatments found in PTSD programs run under the Department of Veterans Affairs. Researchers found adjunctive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy provided the most relief regarding decrease of symptom severity when participants experienced a depressive episode. Additionally, it lessened relapse rate. " . . . reducing relapse rate in recovered patients during maintenance phase of depression management. Adjunctive mindfulness-based stress reduction is effective for improving symptoms, mental health-related quality of life, and mindfulness in veterans with combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (SOR B)" (Khusid & Vythilingam, 2016, p. 961).
Methods
Design
The study will use a qualitative systematic review approach via gathering data on patients within the United States who were or are part of the military and were diagnosed with PTSD. The quality criteria were based on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder guidelines, definitions, and recommendations part of a PTSD service or program that server veterans under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A systematic review offers a qualitative synthesis of research, providing an easy to digest form of information analysis that answers questions concerning topics like: treatment modality, efficacy, and outcomes for affected populations.
Participants
Because the study will be a systematic review, it will not have any participants. This is because the objective is to understand PTSD among military service personnel in the United States to aid researchers in the United Kingdom regarding appropriate treatment and program options. The United States has a robust program pool for PTSD treatment for veterans and military personnel. Using pre-existing studies to…
References
Khusid, M. A., & Vythilingam, M. (2016). The Emerging Role of Mindfulness Meditation as Effective Self-Management Strategy, Part 1: Clinical Implications for Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Anxiety. Military Medicine, 181(9), 961-968. doi:10.7205/milmed-d-14-00677
Murphy, D., Hunt, E., Luzon, O., & Greenberg, N. (2014). Exploring positive pathways to care for members of the UK Armed Forces receiving treatment for PTSD: a qualitative study. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 5(1), 21759. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v5.21759
Petticrew, M., & Roberts, H. (2009). Systematic reviews in the social sciences: A practical guide. Malden, Mass. [etc.: Blackwell Publishing.
Saini, M., & Shlonsky, A. (2012). Systematic synthesis of qualitative research. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
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