Treatment for the Mental Health Impact of Killing in War

Treatment for the Mental Health Impact of Killing in War: Augmentation of Existing Evidence-Based Mental Health Interventions

The goal of this project is to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a treatment module addressing the mental health and functional impact of killing in the war zone.

The investigators will enroll between 12-20 Veterans who have killed in war and have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for a pilot study assessing the efficacy of the six-session treatment. Veterans will be randomized either to the treatment or to the waitlist control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of PTSD
• Veteran will need to endorse having taken another life in a war zone context
• Have received some prior evidence-based treatment for PTSD

Exclusion Criteria:

• Meet current or lifetime criteria for a psychotic disorder
• Participants in current PTSD treatment will not be excluded;however,if receiving medications they will need to be stabilized on current medications for at least one month.
• If receiving Prolonged Exposure Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, individuals will need to wait two weeks after they have completed the treatment to enroll in the study.