Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
06:55
Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Propensity Score using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
Published on: January 8, 2020
15.4K
Impact of Killing in War: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial
Shira Maguen1,2, Kristine Burkman1,2, Erin Madden1
1San Francisco VA Medical Center.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|March 16, 2017
Summary
This pilot study shows that the Impact of Killing (IOK) treatment significantly improved mental health and functioning in combat Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The novel cognitive-behavioral therapy was found to be effective and feasible.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Combat Veterans often experience distress related to wartime actions, including killing.
- Existing trauma-focused therapies may not fully address the psychological impact of killing or moral injury.
- There is a need for specialized interventions for Veterans struggling with the consequences of wartime killing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel cognitive-behavioral treatment, Impact of Killing (IOK).
- To assess IOK's ability to reduce mental health symptoms and functional impairment in combat Veterans.
- To determine the feasibility and acceptability of the IOK treatment.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study involving 33 combat Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who had completed prior trauma therapy.
- Randomized controlled trial comparing the IOK treatment group (N=17) with a 6-week waitlist control group (N=16).
- IOK is a 6-8 session, weekly, individual cognitive-behavioral therapy addressing themes of moral injury, self-forgiveness, and functioning.
Main Results:
- The IOK group showed significant improvements in PTSD symptoms compared to the waitlist control group.
- Veterans receiving IOK also demonstrated significant reductions in general psychiatric symptoms.
- Quality of life functional measures improved significantly in the IOK treatment group, and the treatment was reported as acceptable and feasible.
Conclusions:
- The Impact of Killing (IOK) treatment shows preliminary evidence of benefit for combat Veterans.
- IOK may be a valuable therapeutic option for Veterans experiencing distress related to wartime killing.
- This cognitive-behavioral approach offers a targeted intervention for a specific aspect of trauma sequelae.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
510
Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
510
01:11Blinding
4.0K
Blinding is a commonly used method of not telling participants which treatment a subject is receiving. Blinding is a critical part of a randomized control trial or RCT. It reduces the bias that affects the results. In an RCT, blinding is used in the form of a placebo. A placebo effect occurs when untreated subjects falsely believe they have received the treatment and report improved symptoms. A placebo or a dummy treatment is administered to subjects to negate the bias caused by such an effect.
4.0K
01:13Randomized Experiments
9.2K
The randomization process involves assigning study participants randomly to experimental or control groups based on their probability of being equally assigned. Randomization is meant to eliminate selection bias and balance known and unknown confounding factors so that the control group is similar to the treatment group as much as possible. A computer program and a random number generator can be used to assign participants to groups in a way that minimizes bias.
Simple randomization
Simple...
Simple randomization
Simple...
9.2K
01:16Clinical Trials
11.0K
Clinical trials are prospective experimental studies conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of treatments, drugs, diet methods, and medical devices. Using statistics in clinical trials enables researchers to derive reasonable and accurate conclusions from the collected data, allowing them to make wise decisions in uncertain situations. In medical research, statistical methods are crucial for preventing errors and bias.
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
11.0K
01:20Study Designs in Epidemiology
1.3K
Epidemiological study designs are fundamental tools for investigating the distribution, determinants, and control of health conditions in populations. They help researchers understand the relationships between exposures and outcomes, and they broadly fall into two categories: "observational" and "experimental" studies.
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and...
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and...
1.3K
02:07Blind Procedures
13.8K
Ideally, the people who observe and record the children’s behavior are unaware of who was assigned to the experimental or control group, in order to control for experimenter bias. Experimenter bias refers to the possibility that a researcher’s expectations might skew the results of the study. Remember, conducting an experiment requires a lot of planning, and the people involved in the research project have a vested interest in supporting their hypotheses. If the observers knew which...
13.8K