Peace of mind for Israeli combat veterans: A pilot study

Background: Peace of Mind (POM), a combat veteran intervention program, was designed to promote posttraumatic growth (PTG), social support and coping strategies following discharge from compulsory service and facilitate the processing of combat experiences within an army unit whose members served together. Methods: 272 Israeli discharged combat veterans from 16 teams (group size ranged from 13 to 20 per group, M=15) participated in this study (mean age 26.23, range=22-36); 211 participants completed questionnaires assessing PTG, social support, coping flexibility and post-traumatic symptoms. Results: PTG scores increased in all categories (F(1,205)= 51.97, p<0.01) as did social support (F(1,205)=5.107, p=0.02) and flexibility (F(1,203)=17.465, p<0.01). There was no change in posttraumatic symptoms. Conclusions: The current pilot study demonstrated the feasibility and potential benefit of the POM program for combat veterans and highlighted the potential for positive change following an intensive short-term program.