EFFECTS OF OUTWARD BOUND EXPERIENCE AS AN ADJUNCT TO INPATIENT PTSD TREATMENT OF WAR VETERANS

There is a paucity of studies on Outward Bound Experiences (OBE) with adult psychiatric populations and, more notably, with trauma victims. This study evaluates the efficacy of OBE as an adjunct to specialized inpatient PTSD treatment with survivors of chronic combat-related PTSD (N = 219) at two Veterans Administration Medical Centers. On several measures of PTSD and general adaptation, results showed that the five- day OBE did not differ from standard treatment of PTSD survivors. Two other issues were addressed: identification of successful and non-succ essful subjects as a result of OBE, and exploration of objective versu s subjective measures among this chronic group, Finally, as a post-stu dy analysis, inferred curative components of the OBE were discussed as each appeared to impact on the participants. (C) 1996 John Wiley & So ns, Inc.