scholarly journals Why Do Public Safety Personnel Seek Tailored Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? An Observational Study of Treatment-Seekers

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11972
Author(s):  
Hugh C. McCall ◽  
Caeleigh A. Landry ◽  
Adeyemi Ogunade ◽  
R. Nicholas Carleton ◽  
Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Public Safety Personnel ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Safety Personnel

First responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) experience elevated rates of mental disorders and face unique barriers to care. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) is an effective and accessible treatment that has demonstrated good treatment outcomes when tailored specifically for PSP. However, little is known about how PSP come to seek ICBT. A deeper understanding of why PSP seek ICBT can inform efforts to tailor and disseminate ICBT and other treatments to PSP. The present study was designed to (1) explore the demographic and clinical characteristics, motivations, and past treatments of PSP seeking ICBT, (2) learn how PSP first learned about ICBT, and (3) understand how PSP perceive ICBT. To address these objectives, we examined responses to online screening questionnaires among PSP (N = 259) who signed up for an ICBT program tailored for PSP. The results indicate that most of our sample experienced clinically significant symptoms of multiple mental disorders, had received prior mental disorder diagnoses and treatments, heard about ICBT from a work-related source, reported positive perceptions of ICBT, and sought ICBT to learn skills to manage their own symptoms of mental disorders. The insights gleaned through this study have important implications for ICBT researchers and others involved in the development, delivery, evaluation, and funding of mental healthcare services for PSP.

Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Tailored for Public Safety Personnel: A Longitudinal Observational Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos ◽  
Hugh C. McCall ◽  
David L. Thiessen ◽  
Ziyin Huang ◽  
R. Nicholas Carleton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Working Alliance ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Treatment Satisfaction ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Public Safety Personnel ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Safety Personnel

BACKGROUND Canadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) overcomes many such barriers and is effective for treating depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. OBJECTIVE The current study was designed to fill a gap in the literature regarding the use of ICBT tailored specifically for PSP. We examined the effectiveness of a tailored ICBT program for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among PSP in the province of Saskatchewan. METHODS We employed a longitudinal single-group open trial design (n = 83) with outcome measures administered at screening and eight weeks. Data was collected between December 5, 2019 and September 11, 2020. Primary outcomes included changes in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Secondary outcomes included changes in functional impairment and symptoms of panic, social anxiety, and anger, as well as treatment satisfaction, working alliance, and program usage patterns. RESULTS Clients reported large symptom reductions on measures of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate reductions on measures of PTSD and secondary symptoms, except for social anxiety. Most clients who reported symptoms above clinical cut-offs on measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD during screening experienced clinically significant symptom reductions. Results suggested good engagement, treatment satisfaction, and working alliance. CONCLUSIONS Tailored, transdiagnostic ICBT demonstrated promising outcomes as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and PTSD among Saskatchewan PSP and warrants further investigation. CLINICALTRIAL clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04127032).

scholarly journals Delivering an online cognitive behavioural therapy program to address mental health challenges faced by correctional workers and other public safety personnel: Protocol (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazanin Alavi ◽  
Callum Stephenson ◽  
Mohsen Omrani ◽  
Cory Gerritsen ◽  
Michael S Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Participant Recruitment ◽  
Public Safety Personnel ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Safety Personnel

BACKGROUND Public safety personnel have regular and often intense exposure to potentially traumatic events at work, especially workplace violence in the case of correctional workers. Subsequently, correctional workers are at higher risk for developing mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Public safety personnel are up to 4 times more likely to experience suicidal ideation, attempts, and death by suicide compared to the general population. Despite this high prevalence, help-seeking behaviours from public safety personnel are low due to stigma and irregular work hours limiting access to care. Innovative treatments are needed to address these challenges. OBJECTIVE This study will investigate the efficacy of an electronically delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (e-CBT) program tailored to correctional workers’ mental health problems. METHODS This study is composed of 4 phases. Phase 1 will interview correctional workers individually and in focus groups to identify personal, social, and cultural factors affecting their mental health and barriers to care. Phase 2 will use the information gathered from the interviews to develop gender and diagnosis-specific e-CBT modules. These will be presented to a new group of participants who will provide further feedback on their usability and accessibility. Phase 3 will randomly assign participants to either an e-CBT or treatment as usual arm. The program will be evaluated with validated symptomatology questionnaires and interviews. Phase 4 will use this additional information to fine-tune the e-CBT modules for a larger-scale randomized controlled trial design comparing the e-CBT program to in-person CBT. All e-CBT modules will be delivered through a secure online platform. RESULTS The study received ethics approval in December 2020 and participant recruitment began in March 2021. Participant recruitment has been conducted through targeted advertisements and physician referrals. To date, there have been 15 participants recruited for Phase 1 and it is expected to conclude in July 2021 with phase 2 beginning in September 2021. Complete data collection and analysis from all phases is expected to conclude by July 2023. Linear and binomial regression (continuous and categorical outcomes respectively) will be conducted along with interpretive qualitative methods. CONCLUSIONS If proven efficacious and feasible, this e-CBT program can provide a high-quality and clinically validated resource to address the mental health problems of correctional workers. Additionally, findings can contribute to the development of innovative treatments for other public safety professions. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04666974; clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04666974

Spiritually integrated psychotherapy

2021 ◽  
pp. 383-394
Author(s):  
Marianna de Abreu Costa ◽  
David H. Rosmarin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Cognitive Restructuring ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Behavioural Activation ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Integrated Psychotherapy ◽  
Motivation For Treatment

There is growing recognition that it is important to understand how spirituality is related to mental health and distress, and how it can be integrated into psychotherapy. Spiritually integrated psychotherapy (SIP) involves the adaptation of secular psychotherapies in order to be more culturally sensitive and client-centred to spiritually and religiously inclined clients. Literature shows that SIPs are at least as effective as conventional psychotherapy for treating different mental disorders, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most widely investigated clinical modality that has been adapted to include spiritual content. The objective of this chapter is to describe the adaptation of traditional CBT techniques by integrating spirituality to enhance cognitive restructuring, behavioural activation, coping, psychoeducation, and to facilitate greater motivation for treatment. Several practical examples are given, including the use of meditation and prayer in the treatment process.

scholarly journals Sleep Quality and Mental Disorder Symptoms among Canadian Public Safety Personnel

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2708
Author(s):  
Andréanne Angehrn ◽  
Michelle J. N. Teale Sapach ◽  
Rosemary Ricciardelli ◽  
Renée S. MacPhee ◽  
Gregory S. Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Public Safety Personnel ◽  
Safety Personnel ◽  
Screening Measures

Poor sleep quality is associated with numerous mental health concerns and poorer overall physical health. Sleep disturbances are commonly reported by public safety personnel (PSP) and may contribute to the risk of developing mental disorders or exacerbate mental disorder symptoms. The current investigation was designed to provide estimates of sleep disturbances among PSP and explore the relationship between sleep quality and mental health status. PSP completed screening measures for sleep quality and diverse mental disorders through an online survey. Respondents (5813) were grouped into six categories: communications officials, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Many PSP in each category reported symptoms consistent with clinical insomnia (49–60%). Rates of sleep disturbances differed among PSP categories (p < 0.001, ω = 0.08). Sleep quality was correlated with screening measures for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol use disorder for all PSP categories (r = 0.18–0.70, p < 0.001). PSP who screened positive for insomnia were 3.43–6.96 times more likely to screen positive for a mental disorder. All PSP reported varying degrees of sleep quality, with the lowest disturbances found among firefighters and municipal/provincial police. Sleep appears to be a potentially important factor for PSP mental health.

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