Many veterans do not seek assistance for mental health concerns despite the staggering prevalence of trauma-related symptomatology. Barriers to service provision include personal and professional stigma and inter-veteran attitudes that dictate who is more or less deserving of services. Veteran attitudes are shaped by military culture, which promotes a hyper-masculine paradigm upholding combat experience as the defining feature of the "ideal soldier." The stratification of soldiers into combat or non-combat status creates a hierarchy of combat elitism that extends far beyond active duty. This pilot study surveyed veterans (n = 24) to explore how combat experience may affect attitudes toward help seeking. Findings indicate combat and non-combat veterans are less accepting of non-combat veterans' help-seeking behavior, supporting the notion that veterans' attitudes toward help seeking are influenced by combat status. Despite limitations, the results of this study reflect a need for increased attention to the attitudes veterans have about each other and themselves.

Culturally competent, ethnically relevant treatment strategies are needed to address the attachment needs of foster youth in the child welfare system. Hair is a fundamental element in the lives of African American female youth and can be identified as a protective factor for this population. Furthermore, hair care can provide a context and vehicle for attachment, nurturing, and positive self-worth. Drawing from data obtained through interviews with nine foster girls, the authors endorse pairing two key services for African American female foster youth, namely, traditional psychotherapy and hair care (termed Attachment tHAIRapy). Utilizing a creative, culturally relevant, strengths-based intervention such as Attachment tHAIRapy potentially improves attachment, placement stability, treatment engagement, and self-esteem.

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