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Peer Support and Outcome for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a Residential Rehabilitation Program

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Abstract

This observational study aims to determine the characteristics of peer support that change attitudes toward recovery and PTSD symptom severity. The study respondents were a sample of 55 VA patients who were residents at a residential rehabilitation program for PTSD where they were the recipients of peer support. Veterans perceived greater support from other veterans (mean = 4.04 on 1–5 scale, SD = 0.78) than from any other source. Greater perceived support from the peer support provider, other veterans and mental health staff was associated with improvements from intake to discharge in recovery attitudes. Greater perceived support from other veterans and mental health staff was associated with an improvement in PTSD symptoms. Results from this study suggest that positive perceptions of peer support favorably influences attitudes toward recovery, from PTSD, in veterans who are the recipients of such support.

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Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Academic Affiliations Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, and the VA National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94205, USA

    Shaili Jain, Caitlin McLean, Emerald P. Adler & Craig S. Rosen

  2. VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA, USA

    Shaili Jain & Craig S. Rosen

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Shaili Jain & Craig S. Rosen

  4. VA Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Stanford, CA, USA

    Craig S. Rosen

Authors
  1. Shaili Jain
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  2. Caitlin McLean
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  3. Emerald P. Adler
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  4. Craig S. Rosen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shaili Jain.

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The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

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Jain, S., McLean, C., Adler, E.P. et al. Peer Support and Outcome for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a Residential Rehabilitation Program. Community Ment Health J 52, 1089–1092 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9982-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9982-1

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