Psychotherapy Treatment of Deployment-Related PTSD in Primary Care Settings

Psychotherapy Treatment of Deployment-related PTSD in Primary Care Settings

The purpose of this study is to evaluate Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for deployment-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can be used by behavioral health consultants working with Service Members in the primary care clinic. CBT is a well-researched, very effective individual (one-to-one) treatment that is designed to help people to directly deal with traumatic events they have suffered in the past, including combat. Many Service Members prefer to see behavioral health providers in primary care rather than the mental health clinic. The researchers hope to learn if a brief treatment for PTSD in primary care can be just as useful as more traditional treatment given in the mental health clinic. This study will enroll approximately 45 participants overall; with approximately 30 participants at Wilford Hall Medical Center or Brooke Army Medical Center, and 15 participants to be enrolled at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System over a period of one year.

Inclusion Criteria:

• The target population for the study is active duty, reserve, guard, separated, or retired OIF/OEF veterans (minimum age 18 and English speaking) in the primary care population who are symptomatic for deployment-related PTSD and interested in treatment.
• Symptomatic for PTSD will be defined as a minimum score of 32 on the PTSD CheckList - Military (PCL-M).

Exclusion Criteria:

• The exclusion criteria are those that would normally apply for standard of care behavioral health consultation in an integrated primary care clinic.
• These exclusion criteria are moderate to severe suicide risk, current alcohol dependence, psychotic disorder, significant dissociative disorder, and severe brain injury.