Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans

Over 50% of the 21 million veterans in the U.S. with behavioral health challenges are not having their needs met due to stigma and other barriers to care. Resiliency-based models focused on strengthening protective factors to help individuals adapt to adversity in community-based settings, that can...

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Main Authors: Kelly Baek, Kimberly R. Freeman, Sophia Truong, Christi Bell, Susanne B. Montgomery
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Series:Trauma Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-866X/4/1/7
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author Kelly Baek
Kimberly R. Freeman
Sophia Truong
Christi Bell
Susanne B. Montgomery
author_facet Kelly Baek
Kimberly R. Freeman
Sophia Truong
Christi Bell
Susanne B. Montgomery
author_sort Kelly Baek
collection DOAJ
description Over 50% of the 21 million veterans in the U.S. with behavioral health challenges are not having their needs met due to stigma and other barriers to care. Resiliency-based models focused on strengthening protective factors to help individuals adapt to adversity in community-based settings, that can be delivered by trained lay persons, are emerging approaches to help address this issue. This longitudinal pilot study evaluated the impact of one such evidenced-based intervention, the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), on veterans’ behavioral health and daily functioning. A sample of 46 English-speaking, ethnically diverse veterans were recruited for this study. Repeated measure analyses showed that CRM skills significantly decreased distress and increased well-being. We also found strong short-term results for measures of daily functioning with a significant longer-term impact on participants’ ability to control their feelings of being ‘amped up’. Most (82%) participants maintained and continued to use the CRM skills daily to weekly and had very positive reactions to the program. Across our analyses, the results of this pilot study suggest that providing CRM trainings to veterans is a feasible, efficacious, and well-received approach to help address much-needed veteran behavioral health.
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spelling doaj.art-18162745dab24b9f8c6454a11b5432f12024-03-27T14:06:31ZengMDPI AGTrauma Care2673-866X2024-03-0141758610.3390/traumacare4010007Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for VeteransKelly Baek0Kimberly R. Freeman1Sophia Truong2Christi Bell3Susanne B. Montgomery4Department of Social Work & Social Ecology, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 1898 Business Center Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USADepartment of Social Work & Social Ecology, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 1898 Business Center Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USADepartment of Social Work & Social Ecology, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 1898 Business Center Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USADepartment of Social Work & Social Ecology, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 1898 Business Center Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USADepartment of Social Work & Social Ecology, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 1898 Business Center Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USAOver 50% of the 21 million veterans in the U.S. with behavioral health challenges are not having their needs met due to stigma and other barriers to care. Resiliency-based models focused on strengthening protective factors to help individuals adapt to adversity in community-based settings, that can be delivered by trained lay persons, are emerging approaches to help address this issue. This longitudinal pilot study evaluated the impact of one such evidenced-based intervention, the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), on veterans’ behavioral health and daily functioning. A sample of 46 English-speaking, ethnically diverse veterans were recruited for this study. Repeated measure analyses showed that CRM skills significantly decreased distress and increased well-being. We also found strong short-term results for measures of daily functioning with a significant longer-term impact on participants’ ability to control their feelings of being ‘amped up’. Most (82%) participants maintained and continued to use the CRM skills daily to weekly and had very positive reactions to the program. Across our analyses, the results of this pilot study suggest that providing CRM trainings to veterans is a feasible, efficacious, and well-received approach to help address much-needed veteran behavioral health.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-866X/4/1/7community interventionbehavioral healthresiliencytraumaveterans
spellingShingle Kelly Baek
Kimberly R. Freeman
Sophia Truong
Christi Bell
Susanne B. Montgomery
Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans
Trauma Care
community intervention
behavioral health
resiliency
trauma
veterans
title Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans
title_full Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans
title_fullStr Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans
title_full_unstemmed Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans
title_short Pilot Study of a Resiliency Based and Trauma Informed Intervention for Veterans
title_sort pilot study of a resiliency based and trauma informed intervention for veterans
topic community intervention
behavioral health
resiliency
trauma
veterans
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-866X/4/1/7
work_keys_str_mv AT kellybaek pilotstudyofaresiliencybasedandtraumainformedinterventionforveterans
AT kimberlyrfreeman pilotstudyofaresiliencybasedandtraumainformedinterventionforveterans
AT sophiatruong pilotstudyofaresiliencybasedandtraumainformedinterventionforveterans
AT christibell pilotstudyofaresiliencybasedandtraumainformedinterventionforveterans
AT susannebmontgomery pilotstudyofaresiliencybasedandtraumainformedinterventionforveterans