At a glance
ClinicalIndex Comparison Record- ✓Male or female veterans at least 18 years old, enrolled in VHA care
- ✓Meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD or subthreshold PTSD (criteria A, F, G plus at least one symptom from each remaining criterion)
- ✓Has an intimate partner, family member, or friend with whom they have contact at least 3 times a week
- ✓Willing to allow the identified support person to participate in the study
- ✕Current suicidal or homicidal ideation with intent and/or plan
- ✕Meets DSM-5 criteria for a manic or psychotic episode in the past 3 months
- ✕Meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for severe substance use disorder in the past 3 months (nicotine and marijuana abuse/dependence allowed)
- ✕Moderate relationship violence with support person: one or more episodes of severe violence in past year (e.g., punched, kicked, beat up)
Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.
Improving Veteran Adherence to Treatment for PTSD Through Partnering With Families
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Family Supported Prolonged Exposure and Standard Prolonged Exposure for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Completed, enrolled 128 participants across 3 sites.
Detailed Summary
Evidence-based psychotherapies (EBP) for PTSD, such as Prolonged Exposure (PE), result in clinically significant symptom relief for many. Yet, adherence to this treatment (i.e., session attendance and homework compliance), which is vital to ensuring recovery, can be poor. This project will test the effectiveness of improving family support for PE as a tool to improve Veterans' PE adherence. Reducing rates of dropout from PE will positively impact Veterans' health and well-being and lower the cost of treating PTSD. Additionally, despite congressional legislation and national mandates within VA/DoD for family involvement in PTSD care, there remains no proven strategies for how to routinely include family in traditional individual (i.e., one-on-one) EBPs for PTSD. This proposal will provide the initial test of a model of family engagement that can be translated to other problems faced by Veterans, including suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation, and pain management, contributing to a broader evolution towards evidence-based, family-inclusive care.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
The investigators propose to bring a family member into early educational sessions of PE, one of the most researched and efficacious treatments for PTSD, to increase family support for PE adherence. Strategies for how to engage with families are drawn from existing evidence-based approaches, including Motivational Interviewing and Behavioral Couples Therapy.
Standard Prolonged Exposure for PTSD as delivered in routine VA care.