Postdeployment Treatment Gap: Symptoms and Treatment Utilization Among Returning National Guard Soldiers

Abstract

This study evaluated rates of psychiatric symptoms and mental health treatment utilization among National Guard service members during postdeployment. National Guard service members ( N = 311) completed surveys assessing demographics, beliefs about mental health treatment, emotion regulation strategies, and psychiatric symptoms. Mental health treatment utilization was assessed at the 6-months follow-up. Postdeployment, 41.2% of the sample had psychiatric symptoms above the clinical cut-off for at least one symptom measure. This proportion increased at follow-up (53.5%). Alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms showed the largest increase ( d = 0.66), although symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also showed small magnitude increases. Among those with elevated symptoms postdeployment ( n = 128), only 27.8% received mental health treatment at follow-up. Severity of depression, anxiety, and PTSD were higher among those who utilized treatment. The postdeployment period is a vulnerable one. Continued efforts to understand and address barriers to treatment for this population are warranted.