Effectiveness of Stress Management Training on Reducing Perceived Stress in Veterans with PTSD

Aims: In Iran, a significant group of warriors and veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Efforts have been made to evaluate a variety of psychological treatments. This study aimed at determining the effectiveness of stress management training on reducing perceived stress in veterans with PTSD. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design with control group conducted in 2017-18, 22 veterans with PTSD, who were hospitalized in Issar Psychiatric Hospital of Ardabil, were selected by available sampling method and they were randomly assigned into experimental group (11 veterans) and control group (11 veterans). The data collection tools were Perceived Stress Scale and Mississippi PTSD Scale. Patients in the experimental group received stress management training for 10 sessions. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software, using one-variable ANOVA, covariance analysis and multivariate variance. Findings: There was a significant difference between perceived stress scores and PTSD symptoms in post-test stage, and stress management training reduced perceived stress and PTSD symptoms in veterans with PTSD in the experimental group (p=0.001). Conclusion: Stress management training is effective in reducing perceived stress and PTSD symptoms in veterans with PTSD