Military to Civilian: RCT of an Intervention to Promote Postdeployment Reintegration

摘要

This study seeks to determine whether Internet-Based Expressive Writing (IB-EW), a brief, low-cost, easily disseminated, and resource-efficient intervention, can reduce psychological symptoms and improve functioning among veterans returning from hazardous deployments. Although Expressive Writing's evidence-base is strong in civilian populations, its efficacy in combat veterans has not been tested. Nevertheless, Expressive Writing, as a highly private, readily accessible, and non-stigmatizing intervention, holds exceptional promise in overcoming barriers to mentally distressed veterans' help-seeking. We expect to further increase the accessibility of the intervention by delivering it over the internet (Internet-Based Expressive Writing). Long term objectives of this line of research are to develop and implement efficient, accessible, and effective interventions that facilitate combat deployment-to-civilian life transitions, thereby reducing risk of long- term, military-related psychopathology and disability. Toward that end, the study will also attempt to identify individual difference characteristics related to the efficacy of the treatment, to indicate who is most likely to benefit from the treatment in order to inform treatment implementation strategies.