Predictors of recovery from post-deployment posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war veterans: the contributions of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and self-compassion

Meyer, Eric C.; Szabo, Yvette Z.; Frankfurt, Sheila B.; Kimbrel, Nathan A.; DeBeer, Bryann B.; Morissette, Sandra B.

doi:10.1016/j.brat.2019.01.002

Cited by 52Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchMindfulness and Compassion InterventionsMigration, Health and Trauma

Predictors of recovery from post-deployment posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war veterans: the contributions of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and self-compassion

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Meyer, Eric C., Szabo, Yvette Z., Frankfurt, Sheila B., Kimbrel, Nathan A., DeBeer, Bryann B., Morissette, Sandra B.·2019·Behaviour Research and Therapy

DOI 10.1016/j.brat.2019.01.002PMC PMC8441987

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Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a major challenge among war veterans. This study assessed the contribution of several interrelated, modifiable psychosocial factors to changes in PTSD symptom severity among combat-deployed post-9/11 Veterans. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of predictors of mental health and functional outcomes among U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan war Veterans (N = 117). This study assessed the unique contribution of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and self-compassion to PTSD recovery, after accounting for established predictors of PTSD chronicity, including combat exposure, alcohol use problems, and traumatic brain injury. PTSD symptom severity was assessed using a clinician-administered interview, and PTSD recovery was defined as the change in symptom severity from lifetime worst severity, measured at baseline, to current severity at one-year follow-up. A mindful awareness latent factor comprised of all three variables measured at baseline predicted PTSD recovery beyond the other predictors of PTSD chronicity (f 2 = 0.30, large effect). Each construct predicted PTSD recovery when tested individually. When tested simultaneously, self-compassion, but not mindfulness or psychological flexibility, predicted PTSD recovery. These findings suggest that mindful awareness of emotional distress predicts recovery from PTSD symptoms in war veterans, which supports the utility mindfulness-based interventions in promoting post-trauma recovery.

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Interventions targeting increased psychological flexibility are recommended not only for facilitating recovery after stressors but also for enhancing resilience.
“Interventions targeting increased psychological flexibility—ACT being the foremost in this field—are recommended not only for facilitating recovery after stressors but also for enhancing resilience (14, 16, 29, 30).”
From Enhancing resiliency and optimizing readiness in military personnel through psychological flexibility training: design and methodology of a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as [30]
The Discussion (page not provided) suggests that promoting psychological flexibility alongside mindfulness and self-compassion in interventions will likely benefit veterans with PTSD. The paper also proposes that these factors affect both resilience and recovery, but it does not recommend interventions specifically to enhance resilience or identify ACT as the foremost intervention. Its findings concern recovery from PTSD symptoms in war veterans, not recovery after stressors generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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The influence of mindfulness, self‐compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic stress disorder on disability and quality of life over time in war veterans
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Self‐Compassion as a Prospective Predictor of PTSD Symptom Severity Among Trauma‐Exposed U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans
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Investigating the role of psychological inflexibility, mindfulness, and self-compassion in PTSD
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Authors: Meyer, E. C., Szabo, Y. Z., Frankfurt, S. B., Kimbrel, N. A., DeBeer, B. B., & Morissette, S. B.
Affiliations: Texas A&M Health Science Center (US)
Duke Medical Center (US)
The University of Texas at San Antonio (US)
Corresponding author: Meyer, Eric C.
ORCID: Meyer, Eric C.
Szabo, Yvette Z.
Frankfurt, Sheila B.
Kimbrel, Nathan A.
DeBeer, Bryann B.
Morissette, Sandra B.
Venue: Behaviour Research and Therapy
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2019-03
Volume: 114
Pages: 7-14
ISSN: 0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2019.01.002
PMC: PMC8441987
OpenAlex: W2910281264
Cited by: 52
References: 62
Citations by year: 2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2
FWCI: 7.59
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
europepmc.org
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: Rehabilitation Research and DevelopmentRehabilitation Research and Development (RRD) (#I01RX000304-01A1, #I01RX000304-01A4)
Office of Research and Development (ORD), USAOffice of Research and Development (ORD), USA
VA Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment
RR&D Service of ORD (1IK1RX002427-01A2)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD recovery, war veterans, psychological flexibility, mindfulness, self-compassion, mindful awareness, combat exposure, alcohol use problems, traumatic brain injury, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, post-9/11 veterans, mindfulness-based interventions
MeSH terms: Adult, Empathy, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prognosis, Severity of Illness Index, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, United States, Veterans, Resilience, Psychological, Young Adult, Mindfulness

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Predictors of recovery from post-deployment posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war veterans: the contributions of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and self-compassion

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