Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs), including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are prevalent among veterans deployed in recent combat missions, the effects of which are experienced within their families. The development of evidence-based programs for veterans with OSIs and their families is critical because family functioning both affects and is affected by OSIs. Few programs have been implemented, however, particularly in Canada, and those that have are not evaluated. Research suggests that brief, systems-focused family psychoeducation programs are useful in the treatment of OSIs, specifically PTSD, leading to increases in targeted PTSD knowledge and skills and enhancing resilience. The purpose of this pilot study is to: (1) develop a systems-focused, virtual psychoeducational program designed to enhance resilience in veterans with OSIs receiving clinical care at an OSI clinic in Atlantic Canada and their families; (2) to implement the virtual program with veterans and their families at the OSI clinic; (3) to evaluate the efficacy of the program; and (4) to compare resilience-building family psychoeducation to the standard information-providing services currently available to families at the OSI clinic. Results will be shared within the network of OSI clinics in Canada and will inform the development of a proposal for a mixed-method study.
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Patient and family-perceived efficacy and utility of a pilot psychoeducation program.
Timeframe: Final Interviews to occur 6 weeks after completion of psychoeducation program.