The efficacy of offering adaptive sports and outdoor recreation to female veteran

With the growing number of wounded and disabled veterans coming home from the longest war in history, researchers are discovering alternative treatments and therapeutic modalities for treating the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and military sexual trauma. Though woman have been serving in the armed services since its inception, the services for treatment of sustained trauma still fall short of complete inclusiveness. The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the efficacy and effectiveness of offering adaptive sports to female veterans as a supplement to clinical treatment for managing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).;Previous research has identified the effective results of using outdoor recreation and various adaptive sports on symptoms of PTSD for male veterans, but little to no research has evaluated the effects of adaptive sports on the symptoms of MST and PTSD specifically for female veterans. By using tools such as the Quality of Life Index (QLI), this investigation should reveal positive outcomes for female veterans that relate to developing better social networks and bonding, as well as reduced and/or controlled symptomology related to military sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. The research used a mixed methodology of both qualitative and quantitative data. The data came from former female veteran participants in various outdoor recreation and adaptive sports activities across the United States. The QLI surveys measured outcomes of participation and determine if similar recreation opportunity structure patterns exist in the use of adaptive sports and outdoor recreation for a sample of female veterans.;Keywords: adaptive sports, social support, post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury.