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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02486692

Pilot Evaluation of AboutFace: Novel Peer Education Resource for Veterans

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the AboutFace peer education website for the purpose of reducing stigma and improving attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Veterans.

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Key information

Conditions

PTSD Behavior Mental Disorders Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Social Behavior Social Stigma Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Charleston, South Carolina, 29401-5799, United States

About this study

Research suggests that at least 1 in 10 Veterans will meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to their military experience. Treatment is widely available to Veterans with PTSD, and national dissemination initiatives have increased Veterans' access to best practice interventions. However, treatment seeking remains strikingly low among Veterans with PTSD. In fact, most Veterans with PTSD do not seek mental health services due to perceived stigma and other associated barriers. The National Center for PTSD recently developed and launched AboutFace, a peer education resource for Veterans. The investigators of this study believe that AboutFace has tremendous potential to reduce stigma and improve attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Veterans. However, it has not yet been evaluated. Investigators have partnered with the National Center for PTSD to launch this mixed methods pilot evaluation of AboutFace. There will be two phases to this study. During Phase I- Usability, 20 Veterans will be recruited to participate in individual interviews during which they will be asked to describe the ease of use of the AboutFace website for the researchers. During Phase II- Feasibility, 60 Veterans will be randomized to one of two conditions- About Face or Usual Care. All participants will complete several brief assessments measuring PTSD symptoms and attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Participants will then be randomized to either receive a link to the About Face website or to receive a link to a general online brochure about PTSD. After two weeks, participants will complete the assessment measures once again to determine any changes in attitudes toward seeking mental health services and potential changes in PTSD symptoms.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Must be 18 years of age
  • Recommended for PTSD treatment following evaluation
  • Internet access
  • English Speaking

Exclusion criteria

  • Minors under the age of 18
  • Non-Veterans
  • Negative for PTSD

Treatment and study plan

AboutFace Website

Other

AboutFace is an informational website that utilizes digital storytelling to describe PTSD symptoms and different treatments for PTSD.

Primary outcomes

  1. Endorsed and Anticipated Stigma Inventory (EASI)

    Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline) & post-treatment (two-week) assessment

    THE EASI assesses for perceptions of treatment effectiveness, stigma, and external barriers to treatment seeking. Answers are ranked from 1 to 5 with 1 being "Strongly Disagree" and 5 being "Strongly Agree" and higher scores are indicative of greater stigma. Total scores can range from 40 to 190.

    Phase I participants did not participate in Phase II (the clinical trial portion of the study) and were not assessed using this measure.

  2. PTSD Checklist (PCL-V)

    Time frame: pre-treatment (baseline) & post-treatment (2-week) assessment

    The PCL-V is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses PTSD severity. Individual item responses can range from 0-4 with 0 being "Not At All" and 4 being "Extremely" and total scores can range from 0 to 80. Higher numbers on the PCL-V are indicative of greater PTSD severity.

    Phase I participants did not participate in Phase II (the clinical trial portion of the study) and were not assessed using this measure.

  3. PTSD Treatment Initiators

    Time frame: two weeks post assessment

    percentage/rate of PTSD treatment initiation at post assessment (2-weeks) Phase I participants did not participate in Phase II (the clinical trial portion of the study) and were not assessed using this measure.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Fed

Registry information

Official study title

Pilot Evaluation of AboutFace: A Novel Peer Education Resource for Veterans

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2016
Study completion
2016
First posted
Jul 1, 2015
Registry last updated
Jun 5, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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