Treatment outcomes of sexual minority women (SMW) veterans with military sexual trauma (MST).
Katerine Rashkovsky, Danielle M Morabito, Bettye Chargin et al.
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In 30 seconds
This secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial examined treatment outcomes among women veterans with military sexual trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder, comparing skills training in affective and interpersonal regulation (STAIR) with present-centered therapy (PCT). Of 161 participants, 42 identified as sexual minority women (SMW). PTSD symptoms improved in both SMW and heterosexual participants. Compared with heterosexual participants, SMW showed greater improvement in emotion regulation, maladaptive beliefs, and depression symptoms (p = .002 for each). Across sexual orientations, participants had greater benefits in STAIR; alliance and satisfaction were high in both treatments.
Key findings
- PTSD symptoms improved in both sexual minority and heterosexual women veterans.
- SMW improved more than heterosexual participants in emotion regulation, maladaptive beliefs, and depression symptoms (p = .002 for each).
- Regardless of sexual orientation, participants had greater benefits in STAIR than PCT.
- Therapeutic alliance and treatment satisfaction were high in both treatment groups, with no difference between groups.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that women veterans with military sexual trauma can improve with either of the studied therapies, while SMW may show particular gains in emotion regulation, maladaptive beliefs, and depression. The results also point to the potential value of skills-focused treatment, while underscoring the need to consider outcomes across sexual-orientation groups.
What to keep in mind
This was a secondary analysis, and the SMW subgroup included 42 participants; the abstract does not report subgroup effect sizes or confidence intervals.