Delivery of the Veterans’ Individualised Physical Education, Rehabilitation, Recovery and Reintegration (VIPER3) program

Principal Investigator

Study Aims: • To identify the physical, mental and social benefits of an integrated program of mindfulness, exercise, and wellness in the community; • To provide ‘proof-of-concept’ for delivery of the VIPER3 program across a larger cohort within the Australian community. Military and some civil services (i.e. emergency and first responders), often expose personnel to traumatic experiences and injuries, increasing the risk of physical and mental health disorders (Australia Productivity Commission, 2019, Kyron et al., 2022). High levels of psychological distress are a significant issue for first responders in Australia (Beyond Blue, 2020; Kyron et al., 2022), with recent research indicating that first responders experience mental health problems at over twice the rate observed in the general population (Kyron et al., 2022; Muir et al., 2022). While transitioning to civilian life, veterans of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) face difficulties reconnecting with family, relating to people who do not understand military experiences, reintegrating into society and the workforce, and adjusting to a non-military way of life. In 2019, the Australian Government Productivity Commission noted that ‘[W]hile most ADF members successfully transition and re-establish civilian lives, many struggle to address the challenges they experience when they leave the military’ (Australia Productivity Commission, 2019). A key recommendation was to ‘prepare members for other aspects of civilian life, including the social/psychological aspects of transition’. Despite this, evidence-based programs targeting physical/mental health and reintegration are limited or minimally successful, as identified in our consultations with local veterans and military support organisations source?. Complex interactions between social and psychological wellbeing, and physical health has been confirmed in our prior work (Kerr et al., 2008) with veterans with holistic and sustainable programs needed to support veterans’ integration with the community. To address these shortcomings, a novel program of exercise and a peer or “battle-buddy” system (VIPER3 program), based upon a prior program in the US (Burgess et al., 2020), will be piloted. Further, mindfulness-based interventions were reported to significantly reduce depressive and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, reduce perceived stress levels, improve relationships with families and workmates, and enhance emotion regulation and anger management (Burgess et al., 2020). Our VIPER3 project will integrate mindfulness with a “battle-buddy” exercise and wellness initiative to foster peer support among participants, aiding veterans’ physical/mental health and integration into the community.

22 Jul 2024 - 31 Dec 2025

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