Internet-based family training with telephone coaching to promote mental health treatment initiation among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Kuhn, E., Sayers, S. L., Babusci, C., Conroy, C., & Erbes, C. R. (2023). Internet-based family training with telephone coaching to promote mental health treatment initiation among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 36(3), 549-556. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22900
Abstract Created by REACH:
This pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of an adaptation of Veterans Affairs Community Reinforcement and Family Training (VA-CRAFT), a program designed to teach romantic partners of Veterans with untreated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) the skills needed to encourage their partner to seek mental health treatment. This program consisted of 12 virtual modules and 4 coaching phone calls. 12 romantic partners of Veterans with untreated PTSD completed baseline assessments; of those, 9 completed posttreatment assessments on the feasibility (e.g., ease of use), acceptability (e.g., perception of experience), and efficacy (e.g., Veteran initiation of treatment) of the program. Overall, the 9 participants who completed all modules and phone calls (i.e., completers) found the program helpful and reported initiating conversations with their Veteran about seeking treatment.
Focus:
Couples
Mental health
Programming
Trauma
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Subject Affiliation:
Spouse of service member or veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Mixed method study
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study
Qualitative Study
Authors:
Kuhn, Eric, Sayers, Steven L., Babusci, Christina, Conroy, Catherine, Erbes, Christopher R.
Abstract:
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among military veterans, yet many affected veterans do not seek treatment. Family members of these veterans often experience compromised well-being and a desire for the veteran to receive mental health care. The Veterans Affairs (VA)–Community Reinforcement and Family Training (VA-CRAFT) for PTSD is an internet-based intervention intended to teach veterans’ family members skills to encourage veterans to initiate mental health care. This study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of VA-CRAFT with telephone coaching in a sample of 12 spouses and intimate partners of veterans with PTSD. Participants completed the intervention over 12 weeks and were assessed pre- and posttreatment. For feasibility, 75.0% (n = 9) of participants completed the intervention and reported few difficulties and ease of use. Supporting acceptability, all nine completers had mostly favorable impressions of the intervention and perceived it as helpful. Finally, six (50.0%) participants got the PTSD-affected veteran to engage in mental health care; however, aside from potentially increasing treatment talk frequency, outcome expectancy, and self-efficacy, ds = 0.60–1.08, no apparent improvements were observed for any well-being outcomes, ds = 0.01–0.40. Although the findings are promising, given the study limitations, future research is required to evaluate this approach in a full-scale randomized controlled trial.
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD, military veterans, family training, telephone coaching
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
REACH Newsletter: