Battle fatigue is a soldier's response to the overwhelming environmental and psychological stressors associated with combat. Management efforts that emphasize replenishment of physiologic needs, structured occupation, and support of the affected soldier's occupational roles have yielded high return-to-duty rates. Although such effective battle-fatigue management principles, or "principles of battlefield psychiatry," are well described, they have not been explained in terms of theoretical foundation. The model of human occupation, an occupational therapy treatment model, is presented as a theoretical framework to explain the success of current battle-fatigue management principles and to guide continued refinement of the process of restoring battle-fatigued soldiers to duty.

Date Presented 04/04/19 This poster presents a model OT treatment template for veterans with PTSD. Utilizing a modified Delphi method of consensus attainment, the study surveyed Canadian OTs to identify treatment template components. The resulting treatment template is present-focused, occupation-focused, occupation-based, and built upon the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement, Behavioral Activation, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Primary Author and Speaker: Steven Gerardi

Self-report of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have tripled among combat-exposed military personnel, compared to those who have not deployed, since 2001 (Smith et al., 2008). Tanielian and Jaycox (2008) have estimated that approximately 300,000 military personnel previously deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan currently experience PTSD or major depression. Military personnel are returning home and demonstrating signs and symptoms of combat-related PTSD, such as nightmares, flashbacks, memory loss, insomnia, depression, avoidance of social interaction, fear, decreased energy, drug and alcohol use, and the inability to concentrate. These signs and symptoms could affect these individuals' ability to effectively negotiate their personal lives and work roles. Specifically during work, the avoidance of social interactions and avoidance of situations that resemble the traumatic event may interfere with coworker relationships or may be perceived as the lack of motivation or ability to be successful in a work setting (Penk, Drebing, & Schutt, 2002). Combat-related PTSD not only affects military personnel but also the family and the community in which military personnel interact. If unidentified and untreated, the effects of combat-related PTSD may have a delayed onset and cause problems such as depression, social alienation, marital communication problems, difficulty with parenting, and alcohol and drug abuse, and each can cause a disruption in military personnel's personal lives, professional abilities, and overall physical and mental health (Baum, 2008). It is vital for military personnel and health care providers to be educated on these signs and symptoms and detect them early to ensure that military personnel receive adequate opportunities for prompt intervention services and to access support. This is something that occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants can do.

Introduction: As the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military personnel and military veterans continues to rise, occupational therapists are increasingly concerned with the impact of this disorder on health, occupational performance, and quality of life. However, the literature on occupational therapy for military personnel and military veterans with PTSD has not been summarised. Method: The objective was to identify what is known from the published, peerreviewed literature, about the services provided by occupational therapists to military personnel and military veterans experiencing PTSD. Arksey and O'Malley's five steps for scoping reviews were utilised. A search of three databases identified 27 articles. Results: Of the 27 papers reviewed, 13 papers discussed military personnel, 13 for military veterans, and 1 reported on both populations. Of these 27, 9 research papers provided data to support the efficacy of interventions, whereas 2 papers reported occupational performance issues. Eight opinion and eight service description papers were included. The most commonly mentioned interventions across the reviewed papers were stress and anger, or coping skills (n = 11), returning to duty (n = 9), physical training (n = 7), and sleep hygiene (n = 6). Conclusion: Occupational therapists provide services to military personnel who are vulnerable to PTSD from combat and operational stress. Rarely did publications address intervention efficacy for military personnel. Additionally, there is a paucity of literature that addresses occupational therapy interventions following transition from military service for veterans with PTSD specific to facilitating reintegration to civilian life. Despite this, occupational therapists are well suited to enable military veterans to build upon their existing strengths, skills, and professional identities to minimise the impact of PTSD on daily life and to reach their full potential.

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