Evaluation of a Mobile Phone App for Veterans With PTSD

VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Status: Completed

Conditions: Veterans; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Treatments: Behavioral: Active Comparator; Behavioral: Personalized App Coaching

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT03199742

IRB-31533

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a mobile phone app designed to help Veterans with PTSD. Participants in this study will be randomized to receive one of 2 possible mobile phone apps. The term "randomized" means that which app a participant receives will not be based on any characteristic or behavior of the participant, but will be determined solely by chance like a flip of a coin.

Full description

Participants will receive access to the mobile app "PTSD Coach". Participants will be randomized (by computerized coin flip) to one of two versions of the mobile app. All versions of the app will provide comprehensive information and tools for managing trauma symptoms, but one version of the app will provide personalized, confidential coaching messages delivered by either a Veteran peer or clinical psychologist. Participants will be asked to complete an online survey before using the mobile phone application and again 8 weeks later. Participants will be provided with the option to complete a telephone interview after 8 weeks of using the mobile phone application. To be eligible, participants must be a U.S. military Veteran, age 18 or older, have received a previous diagnosis of PTSD, and own an iPhone or iPad device.

Enrollment: 101 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• U.S. military Veteran
• age 18 or older
• previously diagnosed with PTSD
• own an iPhone or iPad device

Exclusion criteria

• no previous history of PTSD

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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101 participants in 4 patient groups

PTSD Coach with no Coaching

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive the PTSD coach mobile app.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Comparator

PTSD Coach with Peer Coaching

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive the PTSD Coach + mobile app which will provide routine, personalized coaching for 8 weeks from a Veteran peer.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Personalized App Coaching

PTSD Coach with Clinician coaching

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive the PTSD Coach + mobile app which will provide routine, personalized coaching for 8 weeks from a clinical psychologist.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Personalized App Coaching

PTSD Coach with Automated Coaching

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive the PTSD Coach + mobile app which will provide automated, personalized coaching for 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Personalized App Coaching