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Telemental Health and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Female Veterans With Military-related PTSD

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Interventions
Behavioral: Cognitive Processing Therapy through videoteleconference
Behavioral: Cognitive Processing Therapy in-person
Registration Number
NCT02362477
Lead Sponsor
VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
Brief Summary

The immediate objective of this project is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a telemental health modality (video-teleconferencing) for providing an evidence-based group intervention to female rural veterans, Reservists, National Guardsmen, and civilians suffering with PTSD. This study is an expansion, seeking to add a treatment arm of women, to an already CDMRP-funded study that completed in July 2014 treating male combat veterans with military-related PTSD. The long-term objective of this project is to disseminate an empirically sound TMH PTSD protocol for male and female veterans, Reserve and Guard that will extend the use of CPT to remote rural sites. It is hypothesized that using VTC, will be as effective as the in-person mode of service delivery for providing CPT.

Detailed Description

This expansion is a 4-year RCT, plus a 1 year no-cost extension, which provides a direct comparison of the VTC and in-person modalities using rigorous methodology and a sophisticated analysis of treatment equivalency in clinical and process outcome domains. Outcome domains include clinical and process outcomes. Approximately 154 female veterans, Reservists, National Guardsmen, or civilians with PTSD have been recruited from multiple VA clinical sites and community health centers (for N=110 completers). Consistent with the male combat veterans CPT study, prospective participants received a comprehensive assessment battery at baseline to determine eligibility. The exclusion criteria selected are consistent with large PTSD randomized clinical trials as well as research using the CPT protocol with military populations with PTSD. The treatment is delivered up to twice a week for up to 12 weeks by a doctoral level psychologist. Quality control procedures have been incorporated into the study's design to ensure integrity, fidelity and standard administration of the CPT intervention across both conditions. It is expected that the results from this project can be applied to other VA and military locations, where similar specialized PTSD clinical services are needed but unavailable due to geographic barriers.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
126
Inclusion Criteria
  • diagnosis of current PTSD established by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and
  • a stable psychotropic medication regimen for a minimum of 45 days prior to study entry for those taking such medications.
Exclusion Criteria
  • significant cognitive impairment or history of organic mental disorder,
  • active psychotic symptoms/disorder,
  • active homicidal or suicidal ideation,
  • current substance dependence, and
  • unwillingness to refrain from substance abuse during treatment.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Experimental CPT via VTCCognitive Processing Therapy through videoteleconference'Cognitive Processing Therapy through videoteleconference. Cognitive Processing Therapy is delivered to female veterans and civilians, who have been diagnosed with PTSD, through videoteleconference.
Control CPTCognitive Processing Therapy in-person'Cognitive Processing Therapy in-person. Cognitive Processing Therapy is delivered to female veterans and civilians, who have been diagnosed with PTSD, in-person.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV)6 months post-treatment
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

VA Pacific Islands Healthcare System

🇺🇸

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

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