An outcome study comparing posttraumatic stress disorder treatments in a military population

The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments at a Veterans Administration (VA) outpatient clinic. The study served to compare two treatment groups: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and treatment as usual (TAU). The two outcome variables were the PTSD Check List-Military version (PCL-M) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), given to each participant by the clinician in the first and sixth sessions. Participant assignment to a treatment group, either EMDR or TAU, was dependent on the VA’s service connection system, and based on being service connected at the time of the study. Participants had all been deployed at least once, serving in either the Afghanistan, Iraq, or Vietnam wars. A Mann-Whitney U statistical test was used to analyze the overall (pre-minus post-) rank difference between EMDR and TAU treatment groups, for each outcome variable. Data analysis showed no significant difference between the two treatment groups, EMDR versus TAU, on the PCL-M. The Mann Whitney U statistical analysis showed there was an 88.7% probability that the difference occurred by chance alone. Data was lost, as the DES was not administered to all participants, due to clinician error. It is recommended that a clinician orientation, to include the administration of the outcome measures, be given to all treatment clinicians, or have the assessments given by an outside evaluator. A qualitative case study interviewing clinician and client is suggested, or a mixed methods study looking at outcome measures, and interviews with clinicians and clients.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

Marsha Sage

Sage, M. (2013). An outcome study comparing posttraumatic stress disorder treatments in a military population. (Doctoral dissertation, Argosy University)