Trauma, Change in Strength of Religious Faith, and Mental Health Service Use Among Veterans Treated for PTSD

Veterans assessed for inpatient and outpatient posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) services at several Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals were included to examine a model of interrelationships among Veterans’ traumatic exposure, PTSD, guilt, social functioning, change in religious faith, and continued use of mental health services. Results suggest that Veteran's primary motivation for continuing to pursue mental health services was driven more by their guild and the weakening of their religious faith than by the severity of their PTSD symptoms.