Beyond symptom reduction: Veterans’ goals for posttraumatic stress disorder treatment

Abstract

Despite a varied selection of available trauma-focused evidence-based psychotherapies (TF-EBPs) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), few veterans receive a full course of an evidence-based treatment. A better understanding of and alignment with veterans’ PTSD treatment goals could be one way to improve treatment engagement and adherence, consistent with veteran-oriented care within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. Few studies have examined veterans’ specific goals or reasons for seeking treatment for PTSD. We conducted a qualitative analysis using secondary data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 175 veterans who were randomized to receive a TF-EBP for PTSD. Veterans completed a self-report questionnaire at baseline and were asked to identify three distinct goals for treatment using a short-answer format. Two authors coded the data and identified themes. Three themes were identified: improvements in PTSD symptoms, personal well-being and growth, and improvements in social roles and interpersonal functioning. These findings suggest that veterans with PTSD have both symptom reduction goals and functional goals at the outset of treatment. The findings also emphasize the importance of broadening the scope of treatment outcome monitoring and assessment to better reflect patient-centered care and veterans’ specific goals.