Soldiers serving in the National Guard and Reserves returning home from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan have high prevalence rates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Rates may be as high as one-quarter to one-third of returning National Guard and Reserve soldiers screening positive for PTSD. Building on theory and previous empirical findings, we propose a multi-site randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a brief, individualized cognitive-behavioral (CB) intervention to promote entry into PTSD treatments for newly returning soldiers deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) who screen positive for a PTSD. The goal of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention for increasing engagement to PTSD treatment services.
Specific aims are as follows: The first objective will be to test the effectiveness of the intervention on attitudes toward PTSD treatment among returning National Guard veterans who screen positive for PTSD. The effectiveness of the brief, individualized cognitive-behavioral (CB) intervention will be tested on 250 veterans who screen positive for PTSD post- deployment to determine whether the intervention modified beliefs about PTSD treatment including the intention to initiate PTSD treatment services. The second objective will be to test the effectiveness of the intervention on initiation and intensity of PTSD treatment. The effectiveness of the intervention will be tested to determine whether the intervention impacted the decision to engage in PTSD treatment and the number of sessions attended. Logistic and multivariate regression analysis will be used to determine whether the intervention increased the initiation of and number of sessions attended. A secondary objective of this aim will be to test the effectiveness of the intervention on PTSD outcomes. By developing interventions to initiate mental health treatment for veterans with PTSD, this application responds directly to the NIMH RFA-MH-8-010: Prevention of Trauma Related Adjustment and Mental Disorders in High-Risk Occupations. Treatment initiation rates among returning soldiers are alarmingly low, and research is urgently needed to develop and test interventions to improve treatment initiation. We anticipate that if the intervention is found to be effective that it will be implemented by the VA and/or the DoD as a part of their outreach efforts to returning veterans. This study is designed to increase the likelihood that veterans returning home from war with mental health symptoms will seek mental health treatment. Stigma has interfered with the ability to seek treatment and have unnecessarily delayed individuals from relief of disabling symptoms. This study will attempt to combat stigma so that individuals returning from war seek help.
This study is designed to increase the likelihood that veterans returning home from war with mental health symptoms will seek mental health treatment. Stigma has interfered with the ability to seek treatment and have unnecessarily delayed individuals from relief of disabling symptoms. This study will attempt to combat stigma so that individuals returning from war seek help.
