Feasibility, Acceptability and initial Outcomes of a Psychological Adjustment and Reintegration Training Program for Ex-Service Personnel

The program will be delivered in 2-hourly sessions, once a week for eight weeks, with a potential for a booster session after 3 months (additional session 30-60 minutes in duration). Each of the eight- sessions will include a review of information provided, an educational component during which new materials are introduced, group discussion, and practical exercises. The mode of delivery, is groups between 5-8 participants. Materials provided include a workbook which has been designed specifically for this program by two clinical psychologists and reviewed by the clinicians delivering the program. The delivery of the potential booster session is decided by the participants, a survey is sent out at 3-months evaluating their desire for an in-person, on-line, or no booster session. Examples of the 'practical exercises' delivered as part of the intervention include group discussions e.g., discussing identity and identity loss, communication strategies, identifying their communication styles, practicing open/closed questions, tips for managing sensitive questions, identifying life values, identifying character strengths, goal setting activities. The program will be delivered by experienced mental health clinicians/practitioners. If eligible, clinicians will be registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and have experience facilitating group programs as well as training in assessing and managing discomfort/distress. Further, these facilitators will engage in supervision activities with a senior clinical psychologist (also registered with AHPRA). This pilot will be undertaken at Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation and Ramsay Health facility – Greenslopes Private Hospital (GPH) in Brisbane, Australia. The program will be delivered within the Day Centre of the Keith Payne Unit, or the University of Queensland tutorial rooms on GPH campus. Both of these facilities within GPH have been used by Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation (GMRF) to deliver psychological group programs to the veteran community. All staff required for this project are employees of Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation and/or Greenslopes Private Hospital. Topic: Social Connections Module aim: to provide ex-service personnel with an understanding of why social connections are important, how to identify and address common barriers to social connection, and how to develop social relationships outside of the military. Topic: Effective Communication in Civilian Life Module aim: to provide psychoeducation about different communication styles – passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive, identify your own communication style and barriers to effective communication. Developing empathy, effective listening and giving and receiving compliments. Topic: Purpose Module aim: to help individuals identify how they can develop a sense of purpose outside of military life. Topic: Beliefs about Civilians Module aim: to help understand how belief systems operate, and the impact of unhelpful beliefs and thoughts, how certain beliefs about civilians have developed and why they can contribute to problems when adjusting to civilian life. Topic: Resentment & Regret Module aim: to help understand the impact of unresolved resentment and regret to identify whether these issues are impacting on civilian life (including common causes of resentment and regret in ex-service personnel), and the detrimental impacts of resentment and regret. Topic: Regimentation Module aim: education about regimentation, how it was functional in the military, and the importance of flexibility in thinking and behaviour in civilian life. Topic: Help-seeking & relapse prevention plan Module aim: education about the benefits of help seeking in the civilian world, identifying common help seeking barriers, and how to find quality help. To ensure treatment fidelity, facilitators will each complete a facilitator adherence checklist at the end of each session.