Firefighters Accessing Care for Trauma: A Clinical Case Series of Distance NET for PTSD/I Symptoms

  • STATUS
    Recruiting
  • participants needed
    25
  • sponsor
    IWK Health Centre
Send
Updated on 16 February 2024
See if I qualify
post-traumatic stress disorder
exposure therapy
traumatic stress disorder
stress disorders

Summary

Repeated exposure to trauma is an unavoidable part of the job for firefighters. Because of this, many Canadian firefighters screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder/injury (PTSD/I). Unfortunately, like the general population, firefighters face many barriers to accessing mental health care. As a result, additional efforts are needed to increase timely access to effective PTSD/I services that are delivered in a way that reduces confidentiality and stigma risk.

This research study will test the preliminary efficacy and feasibility of distance-delivered Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) delivered by a paraprofessional for firefighters with PTSD/I. NET is an evidence-based intervention approach developed specifically for PTSD/I resulting from repeated and continuous trauma. The intervention will be conducted via videoconference with a trained paraprofessional supervised by a clinical psychologist. The NET intervention will consist of 12 weekly 90-minute videoconference sessions.

Approximately 25 firefighters will be recruited to participate in the study. To test the efficacy of the intervention, participants will complete self-report questionnaires about PTSD/I and other mental health symptoms pre- and post-intervention as well as two- and six-months following intervention completion. Participants will also complete an open-ended interview at the end of the intervention to assess feasibility and participant satisfaction.

Details
Condition Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Injury
Age 19years - 100years
Treatment Distance-delivered NET
Clinical Study IdentifierNCT04386330
SponsorIWK Health Centre
Last Modified on16 February 2024

Eligibility

 Yes No Not Sure

Inclusion Criteria

Participants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to move on to
Consent
Be at least 19 years of age
Be able to understand spoken and written English at a Grade 8 level
Be employed, or have been employed, by the fire service or be current or past fire service volunteers
Fulfill the criteria of full or subclinical PTSD/I according to the PCL-5
Have access to a computer with Internet
Live in Atlantic Canada or Ontario
Consent to be audio- (for consent and interview) and video-recorded (for intervention sessions)

Exclusion Criteria

Having a psychotropic medication change in the past three weeks
Are currently engaged in or have previously been engaged in exposure therapy for PTSD/I
Meet criteria for current mania or psychosis
Endorse suicidal ideation with plan or intent
Experience high levels of dissociation (as assessed by a score of >18.5 on the Shutdown Dissociation Scale)
Clear my responses
Read more

How to participate?

Step 1 Connect with a study center
Message sent successfully.
We have submitted the information you provided to the research team at the location you chose. For your records, we have sent a copy of the message to your email address.
If you would like to be informed of other studies that may be of interest to you, you may sign up for Patient Notification Service.
Sign up

Send a message

Enter your contact details to connect with study team

Investigator Avatar

Primary Contact

First name*
Last name*
Email*
Phone number*
Other language

Additional screening procedures may be conducted by the study team before you can be confirmed eligible to participate.

Learn more

If you are confirmed eligible after full screening, you will be required to understand and sign the informed consent if you decide to enroll in the study. Once enrolled you may be asked to make scheduled visits over a period of time.

Learn more

Complete your scheduled study participation activities and then you are done. You may receive summary of study results if provided by the sponsor.

Learn more

Similar trials to consider

Browse trials for

post-traumatic stress disorder
exposure therapy
traumatic stress disorder
stress disorders

Not finding what you're looking for?

Every year hundreds of thousands of volunteers step forward to participate in research. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.

Sign up as volunteer
Add a private note
  • abc Select a piece of text.
  • Add notes visible only to you.
  • Send it to people through a passcode protected link.