Project 1: Project Harmony, an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis for PTSD + SUD: Social Determinants of Health as Predictors of Treatment Outcomes

Project Leaders: Denise Hien, Antonio Morgan-Lopéz, Reagan Fitzke and Colin Mahoney

Exposure to trauma and chronic stress is associated with a wide range of emotional and behavioral outcomes, particularly among individuals with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD). However, traditional analytic approaches often fail to account for broader structural and socioeconomic factors that may shape treatment engagement and outcomes.

During this PIAD workshop, we will utilize data from Project Harmony, a large-scale individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis integrating 39 clinical trial datasets (4,500+ participants worldwide) focused on behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for PTSD and SUD. This harmonized dataset includes measures of PTSD symptom severity, substance use frequency and consequences, treatment engagement and retention, and key sociodemographic variables across multiple studies.

This project aims to examine the role of socioeconomic indicators (e.g., income, education, marital status) using multilevel mixture models to evaluate how socioeconomic well-being predicts treatment outcomes for individuals with PTSD/SUD. We will also explore whether treatment condition (e.g., intervention vs. treatment-as-usual/placebo) moderates these relationships. In particular, this work will examine whether lower levels of socioeconomic well-being are associated with poorer treatment outcomes, including higher PTSD symptom severity, greater substance use, and increased likelihood of treatment dropout, potentially reflecting structural barriers such as financial instability, limited access to resources, and competing life demands that impact engagement in care.

This workshop will introduce participants to the Project Harmony dataset and repository,  approaches for modeling latent constructs, integrating harmonized datasets, and examining moderators of treatment response within a meta-analytic framework.

Questions about the content of the project can be addressed to:

Dr. Denise Hien (denise.hien@rutgers.edu)

Dr. Antonio Morgan-López (amorganlopez@rti.org)

Project 2: Medical Deployment Resilience Study 

Project Leaders: Casey Straud and Willie Hale 

Exposure to potentially traumatic events during military deployments can adversely affect military medical personnel, patient care, and overall combat readiness. However, prior research has yielded mixed findings regarding whether medical personnel are at greater or lesser risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes compared to other service members. Emerging evidence suggests that deployed medical personnel frequently encounter unique stressors, including exposure to medical trauma and demands that exceed their training and experience. To address this gap, the Medical Deployment Resilience Study led by the STRONG STAR Research Consortium conducted a prospective evaluation of PTSD risk, resilience, natural recovery, and posttraumatic growth in medical personnel deployed to work at a combat theater hospital in Iraq; identify causative and protective factors and make recommendations on actions and training that can be used by the military to enhance resilience among its members. 

This workshop will introduce participants to Medical Deployment Resience dataset and repository,  approaches for modeling latent constructs of resiliency and examining moderators of trauma exposure and PTSD.  

Proposed Papers: 

Paper 1: A Psychometric Evaluation of the Connor Davidson Resiliency Scale (CD-RISC) in a military sample. This paper will evaluate the factor structure of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) in a large sample of active duty U.S. service members assessed prior to deployment (N = 1,191). Prior military research on the CD-RISC has primarily focused on basic trainees and veteran populations, with comparatively less attention given to active duty personnel. To address this gap, we will employ exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the scale’s latent structure. Specifically, a series of correlated-factor ESEM models, informed by prior exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic findings, will be estimated. The best-fitting correlated ESEM solution will then be compared to a bifactor ESEM model to evaluate the relative utility of the total score versus subscale scores. Clarifying the dimensionality of resilience in this population may improve assessment practices and inform interventions targeting resilience prior to deployment. 

Paper 2: An analysis of social support as a moderator of trauma exposure and PTSD symptom severity among active duty U.S. military service members. This paper will  examine whether perceived social support moderates the relationship between healthcare-related stressors and probable PTSD symptom severity in deployed U.S. military medical personnel (N = 1,127). Using cross-sectional archival data from personnel deployed to Iraq (2004–2011), linear regression models will  test healthcare stressors as a predictor of PTSD symptoms, with overall and subtypes of social support (unit trust, belongingness, public support) as moderators. Findings will highlight the role of social support in this population and underscore its relevance for assessment and intervention efforts aimed at enhancing resilience and mission readiness during deployment. 

Questions about the content of the project can be addressed to: 

Dr. Casey Straud (Casey.Straud@utsa.edu) 

Dr. Willie Hale (Willie.Hale@utsa.edu) 

Program

Prior to the PIAD workshop, an online meeting will be held with the project leaders and participants to outline the project, discuss each participant’s role in the project, and divide tasks. Thereafter, participants will individually prepare for the workshop (e.g., read relevant articles, draft sections of the paper, join subgroup meetings). The PIAD workshop will include plenary discussions, writing time in subgroups, dataset preparation, etc. Following the workshop, participants will finalize the draft and submit to a peer-reviewed journal.

Commitment

To make the workshop a success, we ask participants to commit to:

a) Online meetings and preparations in advance of the meeting – dedicate approximately 8 hours prior to the workshop.

b) Be present for the entire PIAD workshop, to be scheduled before the ISTSS Annual Meeting.

c) Contribute to the final editing and preparation for paper submission after the workshop.

d) Continue to work with the team towards publishing the paper, including support through any revisions.

How to Participate

This event is aimed at early career researchers defined as current doctoral students or researchers who have obtained their PhD less than 5 years ago. If you would like to participate, please apply by July 30, 2026. You will need to provide the following information:

1. 1. Your name, early career researcher status, and the institution where you are currently studying/working.
   2. A description of your research interests and how they align with the project, as well as a description of your research experience including a list of any publications you have and your role on those publications (max 500 words).
   3. A copy of your CV.
   4. An acknowledgement that you commit to the required preparation, attendance, and follow-up activities as described above.

There is limited availability (4-8 participants) and we aim for global representation. We will inform you of the application decisions by early-August 2026.  There is a USD20 registration fee for this workshop; lunch and coffee/tea are included. For questions about the registration process, please contact Alex Hinnen at info@istss.org.