title: A preliminary study of an internet-based intervention for OEF/OIF veterans presenting for VA specialty PTSD care.
abstract: This preliminary study sought to evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral, web-based intervention for posttraumatic stress in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans who are not able to participate, or not eligible to participate, in evidence-based posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments. The study used an uncontrolled pre-posttest design with a sample of 24 OEF/OIF veterans presenting to a VA PTSD specialty clinic. Participants used the afterdeployment.org, Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) Workshop, which was supplemented with brief weekly telephone calls. Half of the participants (n = 12) completed at least 5 of the 8 workshop sessions. At posttreatment, 40.0% of completers demonstrated reliable reductions on PTSD symptoms and overall d = 1.04. Treatment satisfaction and acceptability was generally positive based on Likert ratings. This web-based intervention for PTS appears to be a feasible and potentially helpful intervention for veterans who may not otherwise receive psychosocial interventions. Given the minimal resources required and the potential reach, this web-based intervention could be a viable addition to services provided to OEF/OIF veterans seeking PTSD specialty care. Efforts to further develop and more rigorously evaluate this approach are warranted.
authors: Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and TBI, HJF, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Bethesda, Maryland, USA; Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Bradley E
authors: BE
authors: Belsher
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Kuhn
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Maron
authors: Annabel
authors: A
authors: Prins
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Cueva
authors: Elsbeth
authors: E
authors: Fast
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: France
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012648:Self Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult