Mental Health Outcomes of Peer-led Therapeutic Adventure for Military Veterans

IF 1 Q3 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of Experiential Education Pub Date : 2021-12-13 DOI:10.1177/10538259211049535

Joanna E. Bettmann, I. Anderson, Joe Makouske, Adam W. Hanley

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Background: Skepticism of therapy and stigma are significant barriers for veterans with mental health issues. Therapeutic adventure shows promise in addressing veterans’ mental health needs while circumventing the stigma many veterans face in initiating treatment. Purpose: Given the small group model of therapeutic adventure programs, such programs may be ideal to provide social support for veterans and reduce mental health symptomology. The present study investigated: can a brief peer-led therapeutic adventure program modify veterans’ mental health symptoms? Methodology/Approach: The study's sample included 56 participants attending one Sierra Club Military Outdoors trip lasting at least three days and two nights and involving camping. Participants completed study measurements assessing depression, anxiety, stress, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, substance misuse symptoms, and suicidality at pre-trip, post-trip, one-month post trip, six-months post trip, and 12-months post trip. Six-month and 12-month post-trip data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings/Conclusions: Results indicated significant reduction in mental health symptomology from pre-trip to post-trip, but showed few longer-term changes in mental health symptomology. Implications: The present study's findings are consistent with research suggesting improvements in overall psychological well-being immediately following a nature-based intervention and suggest the need for on-going, community-based interventions to support optimally military veterans’ mental health.

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退伍军人同伴主导治疗冒险的心理健康结果

背景:对治疗的怀疑和耻辱感是退伍军人心理健康问题的重要障碍。治疗冒险显示了解决退伍军人心理健康需求的希望，同时避免了许多退伍军人在开始治疗时面临的耻辱。目的:考虑到治疗性冒险项目的小组模式，这类项目可能是为退伍军人提供社会支持和减少心理健康症状的理想选择。本研究调查:一个简短的同伴领导的治疗冒险项目能改变退伍军人的心理健康症状吗?方法/方法:该研究的样本包括56名参与者，他们参加了一次塞拉俱乐部军事户外旅行，持续至少三天两夜，包括露营。参与者在旅行前、旅行后、旅行后1个月、旅行后6个月和旅行后12个月完成了评估抑郁、焦虑、压力、创伤后应激障碍症状、药物滥用症状和自杀的研究测量。在COVID-19大流行期间收集了旅行后6个月和12个月的数据。结果/结论:结果表明，从旅行前到旅行后，心理健康症状显著减少，但心理健康症状的长期变化很少。启示:本研究的发现与研究结果一致，表明在基于自然的干预后，整体心理健康状况立即得到改善，并表明需要持续的、以社区为基础的干预来最佳地支持退伍军人的心理健康。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Experiential Education EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

20.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Journal of Experiential Education (JEE) is an international, peer-reviewed journal publishing refereed articles on experiential education in diverse contexts. The JEE provides a forum for the empirical and theoretical study of issues concerning experiential learning, program management and policies, educational, developmental, and health outcomes, teaching and facilitation, and research methodology. The JEE is a publication of the Association for Experiential Education. The Journal welcomes submissions from established and emerging scholars writing about experiential education in the context of outdoor adventure programming, service learning, environmental education, classroom instruction, mental and behavioral health, organizational settings, the creative arts, international travel, community programs, or others.