Addressing readiness to change PTSD with a brief intervention: A description of the PTSD motivation enhancement group

Poor response to PTSD treatment and the disorder's chronicity among combat veterans may at least partly be due to ambivalence about the need to change PTSD symptoms and related problems. The PTSD Motivation Enhancement (ME) Group described in this article was developed to address problem acknowledgement among veterans in treatment for PTSD. This manualized, brief therapy intervention is conceptually based on the Stages of Change and draws on Motivational Interviewing techniques. The goal of the PTSD ME Group is to help patients make decisions about the need to change any behaviors and coping styles not previously recognized as problematic so that patients will perceive PTSD intervention components as more relevant, thereby fostering greater engagement in treatment and more adaptive post-treatment coping. The authors discuss theory and research findings related to the group, the structure and content of the intervention, and important clinical issues to consider when implementing the group.