The effectiveness of a trauma focused spiritually integrated intervention for veterans exposed to trauma

TLDR

Building Spiritual Strength (BSS) is an eight‑session spiritually integrated group program for military trauma survivors, grounded in research linking spirituality to trauma adjustment. The study underscores the need for further research on spiritually integrated interventions for trauma survivors. Veterans with trauma histories were randomly assigned to an 8‑session BSS group (n = 26) or a wait‑list control group (n = 28). BSS participants experienced statistically significant reductions in self‑reported PTSD symptoms relative to the wait‑list control group. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., J Clin Psychol 67:1–14.

Abstract

Abstract Building Spiritual Strength (BSS) is an 8‐session, spiritually integrated group intervention designed to address religious strain and enhance religious meaning making for military trauma survivors. It is based upon empirical research on the relationship between spirituality and adjustment to trauma. To assess the intervention's effectiveness, veterans with histories of trauma who volunteered for the study were randomly assigned to a BSS group ( n = 26) or a wait‐list control group ( n = 28). BSS participants showed statistically significant reductions in PTSD symptoms based on self‐report measures as compared with those in a wait‐list control condition. Further research on spiritually integrated interventions for trauma survivors is warranted. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–14, 2011.