Journal of traumatic stress最新文献

{"title":"Occupational outcomes of posttraumatic stress disorder residential treatment in active duty service members: Predictors of military separation","authors":"Juan Diego Vera,&nbsp;Sarah M. Jurick,&nbsp;Laura D. Crocker,&nbsp;Cameron T. McCabe,&nbsp;Alexander C. Kline,&nbsp;Justin S. Campbell,&nbsp;Kristen H. Walter","doi":"10.1002/jts.70077","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70077","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) significantly impacts active duty service members, posing challenges to both individual well-being and military readiness. This study examined the long-term outcomes of a residential PTSD treatment program, focusing on the association between symptom change and military separation. Participants were 282 active duty service members diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD symptom severity was assessed weekly using the PTSD Checklist–Military version (PCL-M). Military separation data were collected from administrative records. A multivariate joint model analyzed the association between PTSD symptoms and time to separation, whereas a Cox regression analysis explored differences across treatment response subgroups. On average, participants reported a significant 0.83-point weekly decrease in PTSD symptom severity, <i>B</i> = −1.49, <i>p</i> &lt; .001. The linear slope of PCL-M scores significantly predicted separation, with each 1-point weekly decrease in symptoms associated with a 2.4% lower risk of separation. Critically, service members classified as “improved” demonstrated a significantly lower risk of separation compared with those characterized as “worsened,” hazard ratio = 1.51, 95% CI [1.01, 2.26], <i>p</i> = .044. The findings highlight that PTSD symptom improvement during residential treatment is a significant predictor of military retention. This underscores the importance of effective PTSD treatment not only for improving psychological well-being but also for contributing to force readiness.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":"39 5","pages":"813-823"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147941985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are DSM-5 and ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder measures assessing the same construct? Evidence from a Rasch-based analysis","authors":"Emre Han Alpay","doi":"10.1002/jts.70105","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70105","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study examined whether <i>DSM-5</i> and <i>ICD-11</i> self-report operationalizations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are psychometrically equivalent. Using Rasch modeling, we compared the psychometric properties and convergent validity of the PTSD Checklist for <i>DSM-5</i> (PCL-5) and the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) in a sample of 483 Syrian refugees residing in Türkiye (63.9% women, <i>M</i>_age = 31.60 years, <i>SD</i> = 11.48). Both instruments demonstrated acceptable model fit and reliability. However, the PCL-5, <i>r</i> = .792, showed significantly stronger associations with depression than the ITQ, <i>r</i> = .691, <i>p</i> &lt; .001, whereas associations with anxiety were comparable. Probable PTSD prevalence was higher using <i>DSM-5</i> criteria (26.9%) than <i>ICD-11</i> criteria (21.9%). A proxy score comprising PCL-5 items mapped onto <i>ICD-11</i> symptom clusters also correlated more strongly, <i>r</i> = .790, withdepression than the ITQ, <i>r</i> = .701, suggesting that differences in item content rather than item count drive the observed pattern. These findings indicate that the PCL-5 and ITQ are not psychometrically equivalent. The PCL-5 appears to capture a broader internalizing distress syndrome, whereas the ITQ provides a more parsimonious assessment of trauma-specific symptoms. The results are specific to self-report operationalizations and cannot be generalized to clinician-administered diagnoses. The choice of assessment instrument may, therefore, meaningfully influence prevalence estimates, comorbidity patterns, and the interpretation of PTSD in trauma-exposed populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":"39 5","pages":"909-920"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jts.70105","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148430651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring stressor exposure and mental health symptom patterns among forcibly displaced people: A latent profile analysis","authors":"Lisa Dasen,&nbsp;Jennifer Kurath,&nbsp;Béatrice Strock,&nbsp;Karl Juri Weinreich,&nbsp;Julia Spaaij,&nbsp;Matthis Schick,&nbsp;Angela Nickerson,&nbsp;Richard A. Bryant,&nbsp;Naser Morina","doi":"10.1002/jts.70110","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70110","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The association between trauma exposure and mental health among forcibly displaced people (FDP) is well-documented. However, prior research has largely employed variable-centered approaches, which may obscure heterogeneity in individual experiences. To date, no study has applied a person-centered framework to examine patterns of stressor exposure and mental health outcomes in FDP. To address this gap, this study aimed to identify distinct subgroups of FDP who experience similar patterns of stressor exposure and mental health symptoms and examine predictors of subgroup membership. Participants were 437 FDP residing in Switzerland. Latent profile analysis was used to classify individuals into subgroups according to reported levels of stressor exposure and mental health outcomes. Sociodemographic and psychosocial predictors of profile membership were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. Five distinct profiles emerged, characterized as: (a) very high stressor exposure, very high symptom levels (11.2%); (b) high stressor exposure, high symptom levels (43.0%); (c) moderate stressor exposure, moderate symptom levels (28.8%); (d) moderate stressor exposure, low symptom levels (11.9%); and (e) low stressor exposure, no symptoms (5.0%). Male gender, higher perceived social support, and secure visa status were significantly associated with membership in lower-symptom profiles. The findings suggest that person-centered approaches may offer valuable insights into the association between stressor exposure and mental health among FDP. The identified profiles indicate that these associations are not uniform, underscoring heterogeneity in stressor responses within this population. Such profiles help identify both vulnerable and resilient individuals and support tailoring interventions to individual profiles.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":"39 5","pages":"950-961"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jts.70110","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148604411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between psychological distress symptoms and cognitive function among trauma-exposed women: Moderating role of the developmental period of trauma exposure.","authors":"Myriam Beaudin, Catherine Raymond, Alexe Bilodeau-Houle, Valérie Bouchard, Marie-France Marin","doi":"10.1002/jts.70134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.70134","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related internalizing symptoms, including anxiety and depression, are associated with emotional-cognitive alterations. These alterations, such as biased attentional processing and reduced emotional inhibition, are thought to contribute to persistent distress. However, these associations may vary across individuals. Developmental neuroscience suggests that the timing of trauma exposure (childhood, adolescence, adulthood) can differentially influence brain development and emotional processing. This study examined whether the developmental period of first trauma moderated the link between internalizing symptoms and emotional-cognitive alterations. Participants were 109 women exposed to interpersonal trauma (age range: 28-53 years) who completed a visual search task assessing attentional biases and an emotional go/no-go task measuring emotional inhibition. Questionnaires evaluated trauma exposure and PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Groups were based on the developmental period of participants' first trauma exposure: childhood (0-11 years; n = 38), adolescence (12-17 years; n = 32), or adulthood (≥ 18 years; n = 39). Among women first exposed in adulthood, higher anxiety symptoms were associated with slower reaction times to fearful faces, B = 140.66, p = .037. Depressive symptoms were negatively linked to emotional inhibition to angry faces among women first exposed during adolescence, B = -1.47, p = .010, and adulthood, B = -1.56, p < .001. These results highlight the importance of considering trauma timing when examining emotional-cognitive functions. By showing that these associations vary by trauma onset, this study underscores the need for developmentally informed clinical approaches to emotional dysregulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149111511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impaired but now diagnosable: Combining analytic frameworks for incorporating symptom weighting in the classification of full-threshold and subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder","authors":"Krithika Prakash,&nbsp;Antonio A. Morgan-López,&nbsp;Jordan A. Gette,&nbsp;Kelly R. Peck,&nbsp;Marilyn L. Piccirillo,&nbsp;Lissette M. Saavedra,&nbsp;Sudie E. Back,&nbsp;Therese K. Killeen,&nbsp;Sonya B. Norman,&nbsp;Stephen G West,&nbsp;Denise A. Hien,&nbsp;the Consortium on Addiction, Stress, and Trauma","doi":"10.1002/jts.70112","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70112","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Individuals with subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience significant impairment yet face barriers to care (e.g., insurance denials and exclusion from clinical trials) due to strict <i>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</i> (<i>DSM</i>)–based diagnostic criteria that rely entirely on symptom counts. Symptom counts assume all symptoms contribute equally to underlying (within-criterion) severity. Recently, item response theory and nonlinear factor analysis models have been used to estimate PTSD severity, accounting for differences in the relative weight of symptoms. We examined a subset of treatment-seeking adults with comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders in Project Harmony who met the criteria for full PTSD based on weighted severity scores regardless of whether they met the full <i>DSM-</i>defined criteria. Latent class analysis was then used to identify differences in symptom endorsement patterns in this empirically estimated full-threshold PTSD group. Three distinct classes were identified: (a) participants with full-threshold PTSD based on both <i>DSM</i> and weighted classification, (b) underdiagnosed participants who did not endorse either <i>DSM</i> Criterion C (avoidance) symptom, or (c) underdiagnosed participants who only endorsed one <i>DSM</i> Criterion E (alterations in arousal/reactivity) symptom. Endorsement of two <i>DSM</i> Criterion D symptoms (negative alterations in cognitions and mood) did not differ across classes, suggesting that they could be “priority symptoms” indicating high distress and impairment, regardless of <i>DSM</i> diagnostic status or severity level. Accounting for symptom weighting and prioritizing these symptoms in assessment and diagnosis could increase precision in PTSD assessment and ensure equitable access to care.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":"39 5","pages":"962-974"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jts.70112","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148678374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Invisible barriers and lasting scars for racially/ethnically minoritized youth: The role of state-level opportunity on adverse childhood experiences exposure risk","authors":"Bella C. King,&nbsp;Cynthia M. Navarro Flores,&nbsp;Alejandro L. Vázquez,&nbsp;Jimena Mendoza Barrón,&nbsp;Roberto Obregon Garcia","doi":"10.1002/jts.70085","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70085","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Previous research has shown there are racial/ethnic disparities in exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that can affect youths’ physical and mental well-being. Structural opportunity factors—including a lack of economic, community, educational, and health resources—may increase exposure to ACEs among youth of color relative to non-Hispanic White youth. This study explored connections between state-level opportunity and ACE exposures and examined differences by race/ethnicity within the United States (<i>N</i> = 46,395). Average cumulative ACEs were generally significantly higher among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black youth relative to non-Hispanic White youth, <i>p</i> &lt; .001. Non-Hispanic Black youth had higher average cumulative ACEs scores within 28 U.S. states relative to non-Hispanic White youth. Hispanic youth had higher ACE exposures in 18 states relative to non-Hispanic White youth. States with higher opportunity scores were in the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. Multilevel model analyses showed that as state-level opportunity increased (i.e., education, healthcare, economic, community), youth's exposure to ACEs decreased significantly for non-Hispanic White youth but not non-Hispanic Black, <i>p</i> = .031, or Hispanic youth, <i>p</i> = .002, <i>r</i>²_conditional = .059, who, on average, experienced more ACEs. The findings suggest a structural exclusion of minoritized youth from potential macro-level protective factors (e.g., high state-level opportunity), highlighting a need for systemic interventions to decrease racial/ethnic disparities in ACE exposures. The results align with previous research demonstrating that the historical and institutional effects of discrimination may shape disparities in accessing and benefiting from quality education, health care, economic, and community resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":"39 5","pages":"975-982"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jts.70085","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148150403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emotion regulation flexibility and momentary psychopathology symptoms among trauma-exposed veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder","authors":"Mark S. Chen,&nbsp;Simon M. Li,&nbsp;George A. Bonanno","doi":"10.1002/jts.70078","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70078","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recent research has challenged the assumption that specific emotion regulation (ER) strategies are universally adaptive, emphasizing instead ER flexibility—the ability to adjust strategies in response to shifting situational demands. Contemporary theory conceptualizes ER flexibility as a multicomponent process involving context sensitivity, access to an effective strategy repertoire, and feedback responsiveness. Although ER flexibility is positioned as key to adaptation following traumatic events, empirical work has largely focused on normative, nonclinical samples, leaving real-world affective benefits in trauma-exposed populations unclear. Using ecological momentary assessment, we examined momentary associations between ER flexibility components and momentary psychopathology symptoms in 64 trauma-exposed U.S. veterans (4,371 observations), including 27 who met posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic criteria. Participants completed four surveys per day for 21 days assessing emotional situations, situational characteristics, ER strategy use and change, and momentary symptoms. Multilevel models tested within-person associations between flexibility components and symptoms and examined whether effects differed by PTSD status. Higher context sensitivity, β = −.09; repertoire use, β = −.05; and feedback responsiveness (strategy switching and initial effectiveness interaction), β = .10, were independently associated with lower momentary psychopathology symptoms, <i>p</i>s &lt; .05. Within feedback responsiveness, <i>p</i>s &lt; .01, maintaining initially effective strategies was associated with lower anxiety, β = .27, whereas switching from ineffective strategies was associated with lower depression, β = −.17. Associations did not differ by PTSD status. ER flexibility supports adaptive emotional functioning in daily life among trauma-exposed veterans regardless of PTSD diagnosis, highlighting its potential clinical relevance as a transdiagnostic process.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":"39 5","pages":"824-835"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147964026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex-specific associations between potentially traumatic events and cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older adults.","authors":"Jeanine I Nasser, Sophie M Selbe, Kelsey N Serier, Brian Shiner, Jennifer A Sumner, Jaimie L Gradus","doi":"10.1002/jts.70103","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jts.70103","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Potentially traumatic events (PTEs) are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in aging populations. Despite sex differences in PTE exposure and CVD incidence, no study has examined sex-specific associations between PTEs and CVD in the same sample of middle-aged and older adults. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined lifetime exposure to 18 PTEs across three domains: early life adversity, lifetime trauma, and perceived discrimination and CVD (stroke or heart disease). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate crude and adjusted (race/ethnicity, age, and educational attainment) hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Among 12,272 HRS participants, nearly 80% reported experiencing at least one PTE. Within domains, child abuse and serious accident or illness had the strongest associations with CVD for men, aHR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.04, 1.52], aHR = 1.68, 95% CI [1.53, 1.85], respectively, and women, aHR = 1.35, 95% CI [1.17, 1.56], aHR = 1.80, 95% CI [1.64, 1.97], respectively. Sex differences were noted for perceived discrimination-for men, the strongest association was between being prevented from moving into other housing and CVD, aHR = 1.52, 95% CI [1.08, 2.14], and for women, the strongest association was between being denied health care and CVD, aHR = 1.43, 95% CI [1.08, 1.90]. For both sexes, experiencing a higher number of PTEs was associated with an increased rate of CVD. Differences among men and women in these results offer insight into opportunities for prevention and targeted clinical interventions in this age group.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":" ","pages":"983-990"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13639218/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148360815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of training first responder peer supporters in trauma risk management (TRiM).","authors":"Margaret Canady, Ghazal Naderi, Kristen Wheldon, Heather Buren, Alyson K Zalta","doi":"10.1002/jts.70130","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.70130","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>First responders experience frequent potentially traumatic events and are at elevated risk for mental health difficulties. However, formal mental health service engagement remains low. Peer support programs may be a promising way to support first responders posttrauma, but empirical research examining the implementation of evidence-based peer support programs is limited. The present study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of trauma risk management (TRiM) training within a fire service department. Participants were first responders with prior peer support experience who completed a 3-day TRiM training. Self-report surveys were administered at baseline (pretraining), after each training day, posttraining, and 2-month and 6-month follow-ups. Feasibility was evaluated descriptively using several metrics (registration, initiation, attendance, completion, noninitiation reasons, organizational/logistical considerations). Acceptability was assessed using daily ratings of training helpfulness, relevance, and anticipated influence on peer support approach. In total, 27 individuals registered, 22 initiated training, and 21 completed training. Across training days, 90.0%-94.4% of participants rated the training as highly relevant and 78.9%-85.7% as highly helpful, whereas 47.1%-61.1% anticipated substantial changes to their peer support approach. Significant pre-post improvements in perceived capability, knowledge of the referral process, ability to evaluate level of risk, and clarity regarding professional boundaries were observed, ds = 0.60-1.37. Formal TRiM procedure use was minimal at both follow-ups, indicating limited posttraining implementation. Findings suggest TRiM is both feasible and acceptable and is associated with short-term improvements in knowledge, confidence, and peer support skills. Limited long-term use of TRiM practices highlights the importance of implementation supports.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149081176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Healing together: Results from a pilot trial of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-enhanced cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.","authors":"Leslie A Morland, Chandra E Khalifian, Dimitri Perivoliotis, Bettye Chargin, Al Alam, Tamara R Wachsman, Dhakshin Ramanathan, Andrew W Bismark, Christopher Stauffer, Anne C Wagner, Abigail C Angkaw, Kayla C Knopp","doi":"10.1002/jts.70126","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.70126","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) disrupts individual well-being and relationship health, particularly among veteran/military couples with heightened risks due to deployment, family reintegration, and traumatic stress. Although cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy (CBCT) and brief CBCT (bCBCT) have demonstrated strong efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms, their impact on relational outcomes is less compelling. Given the importance of relationship functioning for veterans' overall health, enhancing interpersonal outcomes of PTSD treatment remains a research priority. One promising approach is the integration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy to augment the relational benefits of established PTSD interventions. This single-site, open-label pilot study evaluated the preliminary benefit, safety, and acceptability of MDMA-assisted bCBCT in eight U.S. military veterans with PTSD and their intimate partners (N = 16). An eight-session MDMA-assisted bCBCT protocol with two MDMA administration sessions and dyadic integration sessions incorporating elements of integrative behavioral couples therapy was delivered. Outcomes included PTSD symptom severity, relationship functioning, and safety. Veterans exhibited large pre-post PTSD symptom reductions, d = 1.25, which were generally maintained during follow-up. Both veterans and partners experienced large improvements in relationship functioning, ds = 1.83 and 1.29, respectively, with moderate rebound during follow-up. No serious adverse events were reported. This first trial of MDMA-assisted bCBCT in U.S. veterans and their partners provides preliminary evidence of potential improvements in PTSD and relational outcomes, with no identified serious safety concerns. This model has potential for future evaluation in large health care systems, leveraging the hypothesized therapeutic effects of MDMA for individuals with PTSD and their families.</p>","PeriodicalId":17519,"journal":{"name":"Journal of traumatic stress","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148887783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}