Investigating the relative effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy for moral injury trauma types vs. life-threat and traumatic loss trauma types

The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to explore gaps in military PTSD treatment by examining underexplored factors that may explain variance in treatment outcomes. The study aimed to compare cognitive processing therapy treatment outcomes for PTSD in active duty service members who report a moral injury trauma type vs other traumas (e.g., life-threatening and traumatic loss trauma types) as their Criterion A event; (2) compare treatment format (e.g., group vs individual) by trauma type (e.g., life-threat vs moral injury vs traumatic loss) on PTSD outcomes; (3) explore whether higher levels of social support moderate treatment outcomes for service members with a Criterion A moral injury type trauma versus other trauma types. The main findings of this study were: there was no significant differences in treatment outcomes for service members with a moral injury trauma versus other traumas; service members with individual therapy had significantly better treatment outcomes than those in group therapy for all traumas; and higher social support did not significantly improve treatment outcomes for service members with a moral injury trauma.