Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military Populations

Military and Veteran populations experience higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to civilians. While trauma focused psychotherapies are generally recommended as first-line treatments, the effectiveness of various treatments in military populations requires further investigation. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize the current literature regarding effectiveness of psychotherapies, pharmacotherapies, and combination treatments for PTSD in military populations. This preregistered review (PROSPERO: CRD42021245754) was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses and Cochrane guidelines. A search was conducted using PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The final sample included data from 414 studies. Full study methodologies can be found in the published protocol (Liu et al, 2021). =2.17), outperforming both psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies alone. No significant differences were found across control conditions. Findings suggest that integrating psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies may address multiple dimensions of PTSD more effectively than monotherapies. However, these results contrast with the prioritization of trauma-informed psychotherapies over pharmacotherapies, as recommended by the 2023 US Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense guidelines. Future research should focus on subclass analyses and long-term outcomes to refine treatment strategies for PTSD in military populations. Tailoring treatment plans to individual needs remains crucial for optimizing recovery and long-term symptom management.