Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study
BackgroundCanadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) overcomes many such barriers, and is effective for treating depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress diso...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2021/5/e27610 |
| _version_ | 1819238947826434048 |
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| author | Hadjistavropoulos, Heather D McCall, Hugh C Thiessen, David L Huang, Ziyin Carleton, R Nicholas Dear, Blake F Titov, Nickolai |
| author_facet | Hadjistavropoulos, Heather D McCall, Hugh C Thiessen, David L Huang, Ziyin Carleton, R Nicholas Dear, Blake F Titov, Nickolai |
| author_sort | Hadjistavropoulos, Heather D |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundCanadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) overcomes many such barriers, and is effective for treating depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
ObjectiveThis study was designed to fill a gap in the literature regarding the use of ICBT tailored specifically for PSP. We examined the effectiveness of a tailored ICBT program for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among PSP in the province of Saskatchewan.
MethodsWe employed a longitudinal single-group open-trial design (N=83) with outcome measures administered at screening and at 8 weeks posttreatment. Data were collected between December 5, 2019 and September 11, 2020. Primary outcomes included changes in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Secondary outcomes included changes in functional impairment; symptoms of panic, social anxiety, and anger; as well as treatment satisfaction, working alliance, and program usage patterns.
ResultsClients reported large symptom reductions on measures of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate reductions on measures of PTSD and secondary symptoms, except for social anxiety. Most clients who reported symptoms above clinical cut-offs on measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD during screening experienced clinically significant symptom reductions. Results suggested good engagement, treatment satisfaction, and working alliance.
ConclusionsTailored, transdiagnostic ICBT demonstrated promising outcomes as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and PTSD among Saskatchewan PSP and warrants further investigation.
Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04127032; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04127032 |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T13:44:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19b96129c3694e6a911239e1a652f010 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T13:44:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-19b96129c3694e6a911239e1a652f0102022-12-21T17:44:45ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712021-05-01235e2761010.2196/27610Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational StudyHadjistavropoulos, Heather DMcCall, Hugh CThiessen, David LHuang, ZiyinCarleton, R NicholasDear, Blake FTitov, NickolaiBackgroundCanadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) overcomes many such barriers, and is effective for treating depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. ObjectiveThis study was designed to fill a gap in the literature regarding the use of ICBT tailored specifically for PSP. We examined the effectiveness of a tailored ICBT program for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among PSP in the province of Saskatchewan. MethodsWe employed a longitudinal single-group open-trial design (N=83) with outcome measures administered at screening and at 8 weeks posttreatment. Data were collected between December 5, 2019 and September 11, 2020. Primary outcomes included changes in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Secondary outcomes included changes in functional impairment; symptoms of panic, social anxiety, and anger; as well as treatment satisfaction, working alliance, and program usage patterns. ResultsClients reported large symptom reductions on measures of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate reductions on measures of PTSD and secondary symptoms, except for social anxiety. Most clients who reported symptoms above clinical cut-offs on measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD during screening experienced clinically significant symptom reductions. Results suggested good engagement, treatment satisfaction, and working alliance. ConclusionsTailored, transdiagnostic ICBT demonstrated promising outcomes as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and PTSD among Saskatchewan PSP and warrants further investigation. Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04127032; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04127032https://www.jmir.org/2021/5/e27610 |
| spellingShingle | Hadjistavropoulos, Heather D McCall, Hugh C Thiessen, David L Huang, Ziyin Carleton, R Nicholas Dear, Blake F Titov, Nickolai Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_full | Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_fullStr | Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_short | Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_sort | initial outcomes of transdiagnostic internet delivered cognitive behavioral therapy tailored to public safety personnel longitudinal observational study |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2021/5/e27610 |
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