Facilitating reintegration among returning veterans by intervening on physical activity and community engagement

There are a host of difficulties associated with transitioning from military to civilian life. This dissertation aims to provide an initial test of the feasibility and effectiveness of an integrated community-based intervention that targets vigorous-intensity exercise and social connection for facilitating reintegration among newly returned veterans - Physical Activity and Community Engagement (PACE). Chapter 1 briefly discusses the background and significance as well as the overall aims of the research. Chapter 2 describes the objective, methodology and findings of a systematic review of extant interventions for reintegration. Informed in part by the study and its findings discussed in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 describes the rationale for the study and the specific aims. Chapter 4 details the study methodology and Chapter 5 presents the results of the study. Finally, Chapter 6 is a general discussion summarizing the findings as well as clinical implications and future directions.Psycholog

Physical Activity and Community Engagement (PACE) to facilitate community reintegration among returning veterans: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

There is a surprising lack of disseminable, community-based interventions for veterans experiencing difficulties during the reintegration process from military to civilian life. Physical Activity and Community Engagement (PACE) is a program which combines routine vigorous-intensity exercise with community engagement. The program builds on emergent evidence supporting the benefits of routine vigorous-intensity exercise among and establishing social connection. Using a randomized controlled trial (N = 60), we will obtain feasibility data and initial effect sizes for the early effects of PACE on reintegration difficulties