Evaluation of a Brief, Online Intervention for Military Personnel

Florida State University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Placebo Contol; Experimental

Treatments: Behavioral: Physical Health Education Training; Behavioral: Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03579706

Norr02

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized controlled trial will compare the effectiveness and acceptability of a computerized treatment targeting anxiety sensitivity compared to an active control: Physical Health Education Treatment (PHET) to determine efficacy among military personnel when delivered over the Internet.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and acceptability of a computerized stress sensitivity treatment delivered online among a population of U.S. military personnel.

Full description

The objective of the current proposal is to evaluate the efficacy of the Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment (CAST) program in an online RCT through Amazon's Mechanical Turk with Veterans and military personnel. The primary outcome variables will be traumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The study is being conducted at Florida State University.

Specific Aims: (1) Evaluate the efficacy of the CAST program delivered over the Internet among Veterans and military personnel; (2) Assess acceptability and usability of the CAST program delivered over the Internet without in person appointments; (3) Determine the feasibility of using Amazon's Mechanical Turk to recruit and conduct a fully online randomized controlled trial of a computerized treatment.

Veterans or active duty personnel (N = 100) who are at increased risk for mental health problems, as indicated by elevated anxiety sensitivity, will be recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Mechanical Turk is an online marketplace for individuals interested in completing computerized tasks, such as research surveys, for compensation. Participants will complete self-report symptom measures before and after the intervention as well as at a 4-month follow-up appointment. The intervention is a single session and lasts approximately 45 minutes. The intervention contains educational material to dispel commonly held false beliefs about the dangerousness of experiencing anxiety symptoms, for example elevated heart rate or a difficulty concentrating. Then participants are guided through an exercise designed to bring on these uncomfortable bodily sensations to help participants reduce the amount of distress these symptoms cause. Participants will also be asked to provide feedback related to acceptability and usability of the intervention.

Enrollment: 180 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• at least 18 years of age
• current or past member of the U.S. military
• elevated anxiety sensitivity as indexed by ASI-3 cognitive concerns subscale

Exclusion criteria

• none

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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180 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention condition will involve participants completing baseline measures, the Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment, post measures, and a 4 month follow up assessment.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity Treatment

Control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

The control condition will involve participants completing baseline measures, the Physical Health Education Training, post measures, and a 4 month follow up assessment.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Physical Health Education Training