Enhanced Treatment as Usual for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (ESS-P Trial)

Veterans with PTSD report that stigma and fear of stigma have a chilling effect on their participation in mental health treatment. Despite the widely-documented effects of stigma on the recovery of individuals with mental illnesses and research demonstrating harmful consequences of internalized stigma, including decreased hope, self-esteem, personal motivation, and persistence regarding illness management, no interventions are currently available to assist Veterans with PTSD in combating the impact of internalized stigma. The goal of this research is to develop and pilot-test an intervention to provide Veterans with PTSD the skills to cope effectively with stigma and to mitigate the internalization of stigmatizing beliefs and stereotypes. To accomplish this purpose, Ending Self Stigma (ESS), an intervention composed of evidence-based methods for combating internalized stigma for serious mental illness, will be modified and tested to address issues particular to PTSD.