Evaluation of an internet-based intervention for service members of the German armed forces with deployment-related posttraumatic stress symptoms
Niemeyer H, Knaevelsrud C, Schumacher S, Engel S, Küster A, Burchert S, Muschalla B, Weiss D, Spies J, Rau H, Willmund GD (2020)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2020
Journal
Book Volume: 20
Article Number: 205
Issue: 1
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-02595-z
Abstract
Background
The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a therapist-guided internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) intervention for service members of the German Armed Forces with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The iCBT was adapted from Interapy, a trauma-focused evidence-based treatment based on prolonged exposure and cognitive restructuring. It lasted for 5 weeks and included 10 writing assignments (twice a week). The program included a reminder function if assignments were overdue, but no multimedia elements. Therapeutic written feedback was provided asynchronously within one working day.
Methods
Male active and former military service members were recruited from the German Armed Forces. Diagnoses were assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Psychopathology was assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Severity of PTSD was the primary outcome and anxiety was the secondary outcome. Participants were randomly allocated to a treatment group that received iCBT immediately or to a waitlist group that received iCBT after 6 weeks. Due to the overall small sample size (n = 37), the two groups were collapsed for the statistical analyses. Change during the intervention period was investigated using latent-change score models.
Results
Improvements in the CAPS-5 were small and not statistically significant. For anxiety, small significant improvements were observed from pre- to follow-up assessment. The dropout rate was 32.3%.
Conclusions
The low treatment utilization and the high dropout rate are in line with previous findings on treatment of service members. The interpretation of the current null results for the efficacy of iCBT is limited due to the small sample size, however for military samples effect estimates were also smaller in other recent studies. Our results demonstrate the need to identify factors influencing treatment engagement and efficacy in veterans.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Freie Universität Berlin
Germany (DE)
Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Berlin
Germany (DE)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Berlin
Germany (DE)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Niemeyer, H., Knaevelsrud, C., Schumacher, S., Engel, S., Küster, A., Burchert, S.,... Willmund, G.D. (2020). Evaluation of an internet-based intervention for service members of the German armed forces with deployment-related posttraumatic stress symptoms. BMC Psychiatry, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02595-z
MLA:
Niemeyer, Helen, et al. "Evaluation of an internet-based intervention for service members of the German armed forces with deployment-related posttraumatic stress symptoms." BMC Psychiatry 20 (2020).
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