Efficacy of Virtual Warrior Renew Therapy for Veterans Who Experienced Military Sexual Trauma
Abstract
Background: Survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) have an increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, insomnia, substance use, and suicidal ideation. Research on MST is limited, especially with male subjects. Within a personalized medicine approach to the treatment of the psychological impact of MST, there is a need for treatments to address the unique aspects of sexual trauma beyond PTSD, such as lack of closure, shame, self-blame, anger, and issues in relationships with others. Warrior Renew is an 8-week group treatment designed specifically to treat the issues related to experiencing MST. Pilot trials of Warrior Renew have demonstrated significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, anxiety, depression, negative thinking, and self-esteem. Objectives: The objectives of this proposed study are to evaluate the effectiveness of the Warrior Renew treatment for with Veterans who experienced MST. These objectives will be accomplished by conducting a randomized controlled trial of Warrior Renew therapy versus a wellness control group. The study will examine outcomes on measures of PTSD, anxiety, depression, anger, shame, self-esteem, emotional expression, and quality of life. A survey of their experiences will be given at the end of the group treatment. This study will also examine possible differences in the measures between male-identified and female-identified survivors to see whether there are any factors that should be addressed differently in developing treatments for male and female survivors. Study Design: This study will compare virtual Warrior Renew group treatment to a health wellness control group. Assessments will be done at the start of the study, at the end of the 8-week treatment, and at 16 weeks for a follow-up. Veterans will be randomly assigned 1:1 to either the Warrior Renew or wellness control group. The 8-week treatment will be provided via a virtual telehealth format to enhance access to care. The groups will be separated by preferred gender to allow for gender-specific conversations. The wellness group will include topics of overall health and coping strategies, but will not focus on discussion of MST trauma. A target goal of 134 subjects will be enrolled at two locations: VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) in Seattle, WA, and the Memphis VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Memphis, TN. Clinical Impact: This study of the Warrior Renew treatment may demonstrate an effective treatment tailored to the unique needs of MST. It may also further understanding of the specific factors related to the treatment and clinical outcomes in men who experience psychological symptoms related to MST. The grant focus areas addressed by this project are: 1. Treatment: This is a proposed study of the Warrior Renew program, which is a novel treatment MST delivered in a virtual, group format to reduce barriers to care such as rural or other resource limited environments. 2. Understand: This study will assess experiences of understudied male MST survivors by assessing feedback about treatment experience and evaluating whether potential differences in how they respond to MST has an impact on clinical outcomes. Potential Benefit: MST is a significant problem within military and Veteran populations, leading to psychological difficulties. If found to be effective, this virtual-format Warrior Renew group intervention could be used to significantly improve mental health outcomes and quality of life for Veterans and active-Service Members who have experienced MST. Virtual Warrior Renew is ready to be rolled out for larger-scale implementation trials and clinical care settings to improve outcomes for sexual trauma survivors. This treatment is highly versatile and could be used to reach Service Members and Veterans in remote locations, such as rural settings or on deployment. Overall, the Warrior Renew treatment has the potential to improve mental health outc
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 28, 2022
- Source ID
- W81XWH2211114
Entities
People
- Amanda Wood
Organizations
- United States Army
- Veterans Health Administration