Research

Use assessments and biological data from service members prior to and following deployment to examine the interaction and influence of genetic and environmental factors on PTSD susceptibility. Identify genetic risk factors and determine how they contribute to the development of PTSD with the ultimate aim of improving prevention and treatment efforts.

Conduct a pilot investigation to evaluate the treatment outcomes of deployed service members who show symptoms of combat operational stress reactions, including PTSD and acute stress disorder, and who receive CPT or PE therapy from military mental health providers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Follow treatment gains over time to provide much-needed insight on the efficacy of the leading non-pharmacologic treatments for stress-related disorders when delivered “in theater” and to guide the development of a larger, randomized clinical trial.

Identify the comorbidity of orthopedic trauma and traumatic stress in an active-duty military population and evaluate a preventive behavioral health treatment strategy aimed at helping to retard or halt the development of PTSD and chronic pain.

Apply advanced neuroimaging methods to study PTSD in the context of ongoing treatment trials to address 1) the underlying neuroanatomical pathology of PTSD (changes in the anatomy of the nervous system or nervous tissue that accompany the development of PTSD); 2) the underlying pathophysiology of PTSD (functional changes in the brain that are associated with the disorder); and 3) neurobiological changes corresponding with successful PTSD treatment. The ultimate goal is to shed light on the underlying neurobiology of PTSD in hopes of developing more effective, targeted treatment interventions.

Evaluate the efficacy of CPT for combat-related PTSD in an active-duty military population and determine whether the more efficient delivery of group CPT is as effective as individual CPT.

Evaluate the efficacy of PE therapy for combat-related PTSD in an active-duty military population and determine whether a condensed delivery method maintains efficacy while improving efficiency.

Compare the efficacy of traditional Prolonged Exposure therapy, an evidence-based therapy that involves only the individual service member, to Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy, which involves the service member and spouse and incorporates behavioral communication skills with traditional aspects of Cognitive Processing Therapy to address both individual and couple-level distress.

Conduct a prospective evaluation of PTSD risk, resilience, natural recovery, and posttraumatic growth in medical personnel deployed to work at a combat theater hospital in Iraq; identify causative and protective factors and make recommendations on actions and training that can be used by the military to enhance resilience among its members.