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. 2018 Dec 14;2018(12):CD011710. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011710.pub2

Lehavot 2017.

Study name Evaluation of web‐based CBT for women Veterans with PTSD
Methods Randomised controlled trial
Participants Inclusion criteria:
  • Age ≥ 18 years

  • Female

  • Veteran of the US military

  • Current PTSD

  • Reports routine access to computer and Internet

  • Willing to provide ≥ 1 collateral contact

  • Willing to allow investigators to leave telephone messages pertaining to the study

  • Willing to be audio‐taped during assessments and study coach calls


Exclusion criteria:
  • Actively engaged in individual therapy in the past 2 months, or receiving couple's or group therapy in the past 2 months that focuses on PTSD

  • Scheduled to receive a future individual therapy appointment or future couples' or group therapy appointment focused on PTSD at a frequency of once per month or more

  • Active suicidal or violent ideation within the past 2 months or on the VA 'high risk' list for imminent danger to self or others

  • Moderate or extreme substance‐use disorder in the past year

  • Acute psychosis, psychotic episode, or psychotic disorder diagnosis within the past year

  • Unstable administration schedule or dosing of any antidepressant, anxiolytic, or sedative‐hypnotic

Interventions Experimental arm
DESTRESS‐WV Tailored online intervention for PTSD for women Veterans with coach support.
Participants will be asked to log on to the website twice per week for about 30–60 minutes each time. On 2 occasions, participants will be asked to write about current stressors or hassles. Additionally, on 2 occasions participants will be asked to write about a traumatic experience and then rewrite it. Participants will be guided in using various coping skills taught in the program during this writing process. Homework assignments will include stress management skills that participants will be asked to practice and apply. A study coach will call each participant once a week for 8 weeks for about 15 minutes to review their progress with the program.
Comparator arm
Telephone monitoring
A study coach will call participants once a week for 8 weeks for approximately 15 minutes. The coach will assess participants' PTSD symptoms and safety. She will encourage participants to use the time on the call to discuss any current life issues or problems that they would like. Active listening and rephrasing will be used, while teaching cognitive‐behavioural strategies will be avoided.
Outcomes Time point for assessment: baseline, 8–16 weeks, 20–28 weeks, and 32–40 weeks
Primary outcomes: PCL‐5
Secondary outcomes: PHQ‐8, quality of life (Q‐LES‐Q ‐SF)
Starting date July 2016
Contact information Keren Lehavot
VA Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle Division, Seattle
Notes