Objective: Some Veterans who recently served in the military report significant psychological problems based on their experiences in the military. Stressors that these Veterans face when they transition out of the military can exacerbate these problems and negatively impact their long-term physical and psychological well-being. We are conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of providing Veterans who are transitioning back into their civilian communities trained, peer mentorship (Pro Vetus) and membership in a Veteran Support Organization (VSO- Team Red, White, and Blue) to reduce transition stressors, maintain psychological and physical health, reduce suicides and reduce criminal incidents. Method: Six hundred, New York City area Veterans who transitioned out of the military since 2002 will be randomized to one of three study arms (1. Team Red, White and Blue membership plus trained, peer Pro Vetus mentorship; 2. Team Red, White, and Blue membership; and 3. Waitlist control). Intent-to-treat analysis will compare changes in transition stressors (proximal measures) as well as psychological and physical health, suicide, and criminal incidents (distal measures). For this preliminary investigation of the full RCT, the results of 58 Veterans who completed the pre-intervention and post-intervention were analyzed. For the analysis, the first and second study arms were combined into one intervention arm because of the unbalanced nature of the arms. Results: The preliminary results indicate that Veterans in the combined intervention arm experienced less transition difficulties and had higher levels of social support at the four month post-intervention assessment. Though promising, there are still extensive limitations to the inferences that can be drawn from this research. These limitations will be reduced as data points increase and more Veterans participate in the research study. Keywords: Veterans, transition, peer mentorship, Veteran Support Organization, PTSD, suicide

The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs and attitudes of United States Marines towards mental health services.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study investigates differences between Veterans and non-Veterans with severe mental illness (SMI) regarding perceptions of their illness, themselves, and treatment. I compare patient interviews (using the Indiana Psychiatric Illness Interview, IPII) of Veterans (N=20) and non-Veterans (N=26). Modified grounded theory and qualitative coding software Atlas-TI were used to develop codebooks for each group, and these were compared for differences. I examined differences in both code frequency and meaning. Statistically, more Veterans were male, employed, married, had higher income, and had higher education. Statistical differences in code frequency included: more Veterans discussing boredom, regret/guilt/loss, and wanting to be “normal.” More non-Veterans had codes of pessimism and religion/spirituality, wanting a different future, bringing up mental health, family, future: no change, life goals, and relapse. Key differences in narrative themes included: (1) Veterans’ “military mindset”/discussion of anger as part of mental illness, (2) non-Veterans’ focus on mental-illness, (3) differing attitudes regarding stigma, (4) active versus passive attitudes toward treatment, and (5) degree of optimism regarding the future. Differences are described and then potential relationships and interactions are proposed. Veterans appear to have several protective factors (i.e., finances, employment, marriage). Additionally, Veterans’ military-mindset seems to encourage greater stigma-resistance, and thereby also facilitate Veterans being more active and optimistic toward treatment and recovery. By contrast, non-Veteran focus on mental illness may be related to increased self-stigma, passive and pessimistic attitudes. I propose that Veteran identity can serve as an additional protective factor against stigma, pessimism, and passivity. Veteran-identity may also be a useful framework clinically, to help promote active approaches to treatment (e.g., “fighting symptoms”). Further, Veterans emphasized issues relating to anger as important and part of their mental health. It may be that Veterans are more comfortable discussing mental health in the language of “anger,” given stigma. Finally, findings suggest that helping individuals in both groups engage in meaningful, non-mental illness-related life activities may help shape self-perception, and thereby responses to stigma, attitudes toward treatment, and hope for the future.