Telemedicine and Anger Management Groups With PTSD Veterans in the Hawaiian Islands

Telemedicine has the potential to profoundly influence the delivery of specialized care to the remote veteran population suffering with PTSD. Preliminary research supports telemedicine technology as a possible solution to improve access to mental health services for veterans with PTSD. The proposed research is a treatment-outcome study that will assess the clinical efficacy of conducting an Anger Management Therapy (AMT) group treatment intervention using a videoteleconferencing (VTC) modality as compared to the traditional in-person modality with veterans who have PTSD and reside in remote locations on the Hawaiian Islands. AMT is a manual-guided cognitive-behavioral, skill based group intervention that has been used nationwide in VA substance abuse programs and most recently has been adopted by many VA PTSD Clinical Teams to treat anger-related to the sequelae of PTSD.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent problem among military troops. Recovery from combat-related PTSD is often complicated by problems with anger. Veterans with difficulties managing PTSD-related anger may be particularly likely to live in remote geographical regions where access to specialized mental health care is often limited. Telemental health (TMH) has been touted as a potential means of increasing access to care in rural or remote areas. Objectives: This study compared the effectiveness of group Anger Management Therapy (AMT) delivered via videoteleconferencing (VTC) and in-person delivery in a sample of rural combat veterans with PTSD. The long-range objective of this project was to develop an empirically sound TMH protocol that will facilitate the extension of manual guided clinical services to remote sites via VTC. We hypothesized that providing a manualized group therapy intervention via VTC would result in similar reductions in anger symptoms as obtained from traditional in-person care. Further, we hypothesized that key process indicators (i.e., attrition, adherence, satisfaction, and therapeutic alliance) would not be significantly different between the VTC and in-person conditions. The specific objectives of this project were to: a) determine if group AMT delivered via VTC is as effective as the same intervention delivered in-person on clinical outcomes measuring reductions in anger symptoms and b) determine if group AMT delivered via VTC is as effective as the same intervention delivered in-person on group process outcomes. Methods: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial of 125 male veterans with PTSD and anger difficulties was conducted at three Department of Veterans Affairs' outpatient clinics. Participants were randomly assigned to receive AMT delivered in a group setting with the therapist either in-person (N= 64) or via VTC (N= 61). Participants were assessed at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 3 and 6-months post-treatment. The primary clinical outcome was reduction of anger difficulties, as measured by the Anger Expression and Trait Anger subscales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2) and the Novaco Anger Total Scale (NAS). Process variables were measured to assess the feasibility of AMT delivered via VTC. SAS MEANS procedure was used to calculate means and standard deviations for change from baseline at subsequent assessment points for both intent-to-treat and per-protocol analysis.

The experimental arm is the group condition that received the AMT treatment intervention via a videoteleconferencing modality as compared to the control condition which is the traditional face-to-face modality. Behavioral: 12 sessions Anger Management Therapy. Anger Management Treatment (AMT), a 12-session manual-driven cognitive-behavioral intervention developed and found efficacious for anger management treatment with substance abuse veterans and has been applied to the PTSD population. AMT is highly structured with both psychoeducational and psychotherapy components. AMT is aimed at reducing anger affect and aggression through increasing anger management skills.

The control arm is the group condition that received the AMT treatment intervention via a traditional face-to-face modality as compared to the experimental condition which is the videoteleconferencing modality. Behavioral: 12 sessions Anger Management Therapy. Anger Management Treatment (AMT), a 12-session manual-driven cognitive-behavioral intervention developed and found efficacious for anger management treatment with substance abuse veterans and has been applied to the PTSD population. AMT is highly structured with both psychoeducational and psychotherapy components. AMT is aimed at reducing anger affect and aggression through increasing anger management skills.

Anger Management Treatment (AMT), a 12-session manual-driven cognitive-behavioral intervention developed and found efficacious for anger management treatment with substance abuse veterans and has been applied to the PTSD population. AMT is highly structured with both psychoeducational and psychotherapy components. AMT is aimed at reducing anger affect and aggression through increasing anger management skills.

Anger expression was measured using the STAXI-2's 32-item Anger Expression Index (range 0 - 96). The STAXI-2 subscale have robust psychometric properties including high internal consistency, external validity, and construct validity. The Anger Expression Index provides a general measure of anger expression; assessing one's experience, expression and efforts to control anger. Higher scores indicate more problematic levels of anger and its expression.

Anger expression was measured using the STAXI-2's 32-item Anger Expression Index (range 0 - 96). The STAXI-2 subscale have robust psychometric properties including high internal consistency, external validity, and construct validity. The Anger Expression Index provides a general measure of anger expression; assessing one's experience, expression and efforts to control anger. Higher scores indicate more problematic levels of anger and its expression.

Anger expression was measured using the STAXI-2's 32-item Anger Expression Index (range 0 - 96). The STAXI-2 subscale have robust psychometric properties including high internal consistency, external validity, and construct validity. The Anger Expression Index provides a general measure of anger expression; assessing one's experience, expression and efforts to control anger. Higher scores indicate more problematic levels of anger and its expression.

Anger expression was measured using the STAXI-2's 32-item Anger Expression Index (range 0 - 96). The STAXI-2 subscale have robust psychometric properties including high internal consistency, external validity, and construct validity. The Anger Expression Index provides a general measure of anger expression; assessing one's experience, expression and efforts to control anger. Higher scores indicate more problematic levels of anger and its expression.

Anger disposition was assessed using the total scale score from the Novaco Anger Scale. This 60-item measure (range = 60 - 180) is a well validated self-report instrument designed to measure cognitive, arousal, and behavioral aspects of anger in both clinical and non-patient populations. Higher scores indicate more anger-related symptoms.

Anger disposition was assessed using the total scale score from the Novaco Anger Scale. This 60-item measure (range = 60 - 180) is a well validated self-report instrument designed to measure cognitive, arousal, and behavioral aspects of anger in both clinical and non-patient populations. Higher scores indicate more anger-related symptoms.

Anger disposition was assessed using the total scale score from the Novaco Anger Scale. This 60-item measure (range = 60 - 180) is a well validated self-report instrument designed to measure cognitive, arousal, and behavioral aspects of anger in both clinical and non-patient populations. Higher scores indicate more anger-related symptoms.

Anger disposition was assessed using the total scale score from the Novaco Anger Scale. This 60-item measure (range = 60 - 180) is a well validated self-report instrument designed to measure cognitive, arousal, and behavioral aspects of anger in both clinical and non-patient populations. Higher scores indicate more anger-related symptoms.

Self report that measures severity of PTSD symptoms. The PCL-M measures the 17 cardinal symptoms of PTSD as described in the DSM-IV-TR. The scale ranges from 0 - 85 with higher scores indicating worse PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms were measured at baseline and post-treatment only.

Self report that measures severity of PTSD symptoms. The PCL-M measures the 17 cardinal symptoms of PTSD as described in the DSM-IV-TR. The scale ranges from 0 - 85 with higher scores indicating worse PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms were measured at baseline and post-treatment only.

Inclusion Criteria: male PTSD diagnosis anger level at Staxi Trait Score=22 or higher stable medication regime Exclusion Criteria: current substance dependence current psychosis suicidal homicidal cognitive impairment

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National Center for PTSD provides and comprehensive information on the assessment, treatment, and epidemiology of Posttraumatic stress disorder