Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

This study evaluates two Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) interventions: one for symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and one for symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Both interventions have been tailored for Canadian public safety personnel (PSP). Outcomes of interest include preference for disorder-specific or transdiagnostic care, engagement with the interventions, changes in symptoms and functioning, and strengths and limitations of implementing ICBT with Canadian PSP.


Clinical Trial Description

Background: Public Safety Personnel (PSP) is a term that broadly encompasses personnel who ensure the safety and security of Canadians across jurisdictions, including, but not necessarily limited to, border services personnel, correctional employees, firefighters (career and volunteer), operational and intelligence personnel, paramedics, police officers, public safety communications officials (e.g., call centre operators/dispatchers), and search and rescue personnel. As a function of their vocations, PSP are frequently exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events (e.g., threatened or actual physical assaults, sexual violence, fires, and explosions) and are at risk of posttraumatic stress injuries. Results from a recent survey with a large Canadian PSP sample showed 44.5% screened positive for one or more mental health disorders, which is much higher than the 10.1% diagnostic rate among the Canadian general public. The study showed that 23.2% of Canadian PSP screened positive for PTSD, and 25.7% screened positive for two or more mental disorders. For many Canadian PSP, access to in-person evidence-based care is impeded for several logistical reasons, including distance from services, long waiting lists, difficulty navigating services, and the cost of treatment. PSP also face attitudinal barriers, including concerns about stigma, discomfort admitting to needing help, distrust of service providers, and lack of awareness of their need for help. Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) represents a convenient method for PSP to access care for mental health concerns, such as posttraumatic stress. In ICBT, clients receive access to standardized lessons that provide the same information and skills as traditional face-to-face CBT. In addition to weekly lessons, clients are encouraged to complete homework assignments to facilitate learning. Research shows that ICBT is effective at reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress, and there is also evidence that the findings of research trials translate into routine clinic settings. Research Purpose: The current research project is designed to compare preference for disorder-specific program for PTSD (PSP PTSD Course) versus a transdiagnostic program for depression, anxiety, and PTSD (PSP Wellbeing Course); both courses have been adapted to be specific to PSP (e.g., case examples are relevant to PSP). The study will also examine engagement and outcomes of the courses. The current study outcome variables will include: 1) usage of both courses among Canadian PSP who are informed about the courses (e.g., # enrolling, completion rates); 2) symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as secondary outcome measures (e.g., treatment satisfaction, disability) from PSP participants measured at 8, 26, and 52 week follow-up; and 3) strengths and challenges of both courses when offered to PSP. In order to take part, PSP will first complete an online questionnaire and telephone screening to assess whether they meet the following inclusion criteria: 1) 18 years of age or older; 2) resident of the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, or Ontario; 3) endorsing symptoms of posttraumatic stress, but not high suicide risk or recent suicide attempts in the past year; 4) able to access and comfortable using computers and the internet; 5) not seeking help primarily for alcohol and or drugs, bipolar disorder, or psychotic symptoms; and 6) willing to provide an emergency contact. Eligible participants will be invited to choose either of the two courses. Both courses will be delivered by trained providers with graduate training in psychology or social work or graduate students under supervision. The programs were first offered in Saskatchewan and later translated into French and offered to PSP in Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario. The primary research questions to be answered include: 1. ENGAGEMENT: How many PSP will enroll in and complete each course? Of note, we had initially planned to investigate how often PSP engage with therapists and how often PSP extend support beyond 8 weeks, but unforeseen system-related challenges rendered these research questions difficult to investigate in an unintrusive manner, so we have abandoned these research questions. 2. OUTCOMES: What will be the impact of the each course on symptom improvement and functioning at 8, 26, and 52 weeks post-enrollment? What factors will predict outcomes (e.g., symptom severity, demographics, engagement)? 3. IMPLEMENTATION: What are stakeholder experiences, positive and negative, with each course? What are the suggested improvements to ICBT to meet the needs of PSP? Significance: This project will provide information that will inform future use of ICBT to assist PSP with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Deviations from Original Trial Protocol: We have made several changes to our methods since releasing our original trial protocol: (a) expanding access to this study to PSP residing in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario due to interest from these provinces; (b) replacing the Sheehan Disability Scale with the Work and Social Adjustment Scale because we were unable to obtain permission to use the former; (c) removing a clinical interview from our planned outcome measures (Section H of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) due to lack of resources; (d) removing two questionnaires assessing exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 and a bespoke questionnaire inquiring about the worst event ever experienced) to reduce the burden of questionnaires on clients; (e) limiting our administration of outcome measures between 9 and 16 weeks post-enrollment to clients who are still engaged in treatment at those timepoints (i.e., rather than to all clients at those timepoints) to reduce the burden of questionnaires on clients; (f) extending the trial and increasing our estimated enrollment from 50 participants to 300 participants to better address our research objectives and because we have been able to expand recruitment efforts across several provinces; (g) replacing the 6-item version of the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the 6-item version of the Social Phobia Scale (SIAS-6/SPS-6) with the Mini Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN); and (h) replacing the Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Self Report (PDSS-SR) with a 2-item version of the same measure. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT04335487
Study type Interventional
Source University of Regina
Contact Heather D Hadjistavropoulos, PhD
Phone 306-585-5133
Email heather.hadjistavropoulos@uregina.ca
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date July 6, 2020
Completion date June 30, 2025

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Active, not recruiting NCT05777044 - The Effect of Hatha Yoga on Mental Health N/A
Recruiting NCT04977232 - Adjunctive Game Intervention for Anhedonia in MDD Patients N/A
Recruiting NCT04680611 - Severe Asthma, MepolizumaB and Affect: SAMBA Study
Recruiting NCT04043052 - Mobile Technologies and Post-stroke Depression N/A
Completed NCT04512768 - Treating Comorbid Insomnia in Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy N/A
Recruiting NCT03207828 - Testing Interventions for Patients With Fibromyalgia and Depression N/A
Completed NCT04617015 - Defining and Treating Depression-related Asthma Early Phase 1
Recruiting NCT06011681 - The Rapid Diagnosis of MCI and Depression in Patients Ages 60 and Over
Completed NCT04476446 - An Expanded Access Protocol for Esketamine Treatment in Participants With Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) Who do Not Have Other Treatment Alternatives Phase 3
Recruiting NCT02783430 - Evaluation of the Initial Prescription of Ketamine and Milnacipran in Depression in Patients With a Progressive Disease Phase 2/Phase 3
Recruiting NCT05563805 - Exploring Virtual Reality Adventure Training Exergaming N/A
Completed NCT04598165 - Mobile WACh NEO: Mobile Solutions for Neonatal Health and Maternal Support N/A
Completed NCT03457714 - Guided Internet Delivered Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy for Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: A Feasibility Trial
Recruiting NCT05956912 - Implementing Group Metacognitive Therapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation Services (PATHWAY-Beacons)
Completed NCT05588622 - Meru Health Program for Cancer Patients With Depression and Anxiety N/A
Recruiting NCT05234476 - Behavioral Activation Plus Savoring for University Students N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT05006976 - A Naturalistic Trial of Nudging Clinicians in the Norwegian Sickness Absence Clinic. The NSAC Nudge Study N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT03276585 - Night in Japan Home Sleep Monitoring Study
Terminated NCT03275571 - HIV, Computerized Depression Therapy & Cognition N/A
Completed NCT03167372 - Pilot Comparison of N-of-1 Trials of Light Therapy N/A