Window to Hope-Evaluating a Psychological Treatment for Hopelessness Among Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury (WtoH)

Window to Hope-Evaluating a Psychological Treatment for Hopelessness Among Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury

Window to Hope-Evaluating a Psychological Treatment for Hopelessness Among Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury

The purpose of this project is to provide further evidence regarding a groundbreaking psychological treatment for suicide prevention in individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), Window to Hope (WtoH). The study will be one of the first five randomized clinical trials (RCTs) internationally to evaluate a psychological treatment for affective distress after TBI and the first conducted in the United States (U.S.) to specifically address suicide risk as an outcome. The current project aims to adapt WtoH for U.S. military personnel/Veterans (expert Consensus Conference, participant total up to 15), implement the intervention in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) (Pilot Groups 1-4, participant total up to 12), and replicate the results from the original trial in this novel context with a larger sample size (n=70 completed protocols [up to 90 recruited]. Deliverables are expected to include an intervention suitable for both dissemination and larger Phase III trials.

Prior to implementing the intervention, Dr. Simpson will work with VA study team members (e.g., Drs. Brenner, Matarazzo, Signoracci) to modify WtoH manual semantics and graphics to meet the needs of the U.S. Veteran population. Dr. Brenner has a long history of working within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and is a Diplomate in Rehabilitation Psychology. An expert committee (up to 15 participants) will also be convened for a meeting focused on the cross-cultural adaptation of WtoH. All efforts will be made to include experts in treating TBI and stakeholders (e.g., Veterans with or without TBI and/or family members/support persons) on the committee. Members of the research team will contact potential committee members by phone, email, mail or in person. Presentations may also be made to Veterans/family members/support persons receiving care, participating in patient advocacy activities, or providing peer support. Prior to reviewing the content, the expert committee will be provided background on the current state of knowledge about suicidality and hopelessness after TBI, available treatment options, and information regarding the underlying theoretical basis and key features of the WtoH program. The committee will then review the ten sessions to identify potential changes required to the therapeutic content, exercises, language and graphics to ensure that it is culturally appropriate for the VAMC context. Modifications will be made employing a consensus approach among the expert committee. The adapted program will then be trialed across four pilot groups. Once the pilot groups have been completed (see below) the expert committee will be reconvened for a final review of the program. Data collected on acceptability and feasibility will be presented to the committee and test therapists. Any necessary final modifications to assessment procedures and/or the intervention to ensure that the program is appropriate for the Veterans' condition will be made employing a consensus approach. The revised version of the manual will be used to conduct the RCT. Up to 90 Veterans will participate.

Veterans, Window to Hope, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Traumatic Brain Injury, Hopelessness, Suicide

After enrollment, participants were randomized to either receive the WtoH Intervention first, or Waitlist Control. After Time 2, the Waitlist Control arm crosses over and has the opportunity to participate in the WtoH Intervention.

Window to Hope: Psychotherapy consists of 10 2-hour sessions for a maximum dose delivered of 20 hours. Therapy consists of small groups of up to 2 participants.

Members of the Waitlist Control arm continued to receive nonconstrained usual care from the Veterans Health Administration. Those initially allocated to the Waitlist Control arm were later provided with the opportunity to cross over and receive the WtoH Intervention after Time 2.

Members of the Waitlist Control arm continued to receive nonconstrained usual care from the Veterans Health Administration. Those initially allocated to the Waitlist Control arm were later provided with the opportunity to cross over and receive the WtoH Intervention after Time 2.

The BHS is a 20-item true-false self-report scale that measures the level of negative expectations about the future held by respondents over the previous week. Scores range from 0 to 20 representing nil (0-3), mild (4-8), moderate (9-14), and severe (>14) levels of hopelessness. Beck et al. found that BHS scores equal to or greater than 9 were associated with significantly elevated levels of suicide risk (Beck et al., 1985). As such, to be eligible to participate in this treatment trial individuals must have a score of 9 on the BHS at the time of screening and at the Time 1 baseline assessment. BHS outcome administered at the following study timepoints: Time 1 (Baseline for both arms), Time 2 (Post-Intervention for WtoH Intervention arm and Baseline 2 for Waitlist Control arm), and Time 3 Assessment (3 month follow up for WtoH Intervention arm and Post-Intervention for Waitlist Control arm.

Time 2 BHS was assessed 3-months after Time 1 baseline assessment for both arms of the trial. Time 3 BHS was assessed 6 months after Time 1 baseline for both arms of the trial.

The BSS is a 19-item scale that assesses severity of suicide ideation within the previous week with total scores ranging from 0 (no suicide ideation) to 38. High levels of internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .93) and concurrent validity have been reported with the Beck Depression Inventory (r =.64 to r =.75, Beck & Steer, 1993) as well as the BHS in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) (r =.60, Simpson & Tate, 2002) and non-brain-damaged populations (r =.52 to r = .63, Beck & Steer, 1993). BSS outcome administered at the following study timepoints: Time 1 (Baseline for both arms), Time 2 (Post-Intervention for WtoH Intervention arm and Baseline 2 for Waitlist Control arm), and Time 3 Assessment (3 month follow up for WtoH Intervention arm and Post-Intervention for Waitlist Control arm

Time 2 BSS was assessed 3-months after Time 1 baseline assessment for both arms of the trial. Time 3 BSS was assessed 6 months after Time 1 baseline for both arms of the trial.

The Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) is a self-report instrument measuring the severity of common depressive symptoms. Each of its 21 items is rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 3; total scores range from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating greater degrees of depressive symptomatology. High levels of internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.93) have been reported as well as concurrent validity with the BDI (r = 0.64 to r = 0.75), and the BHS among those with TBI (r = 0.60) (Beck and Steer, 1998) and general population samples (r = 0.52 to r = 0.63). (Beck and Steer, 1993). BDI-II outcome administered at the following study timepoints: Time 1 (Baseline for both arms), Time 2 (Post-Intervention for WtoH Intervention arm and Baseline 2 for Waitlist Control arm), and Time 3 Assessment (3 month follow up for WtoH Intervention arm and Post-Intervention for Waitlist Control arm

Time 2 BDI-II was assessed 3-months after Time 1 baseline assessment for both arms of the trial. Time 3 BDI-II was assessed 6 months after Time 1 baseline for both arms of the trial.

Inclusion Criteria for Pilot Groups: Age between 18 and 89 Determination of positive history of moderate/or severe TBI Ability to adequately respond to questions regarding the informed consent procedure Exclusion Criteria for Pilot Groups: History of alcohol abuse in the seven days prior to baseline assessment History of non-alcohol substance abuse within the last 30 days prior to baseline assessment Same-day drug or alcohol abuse during treatment History of mild TBI only Inability to travel to the Denver VA for daily or weekly therapy sessions Inclusion Criteria for RCT: Age between 18 and 65 Determination of positive history of moderate/or severe TBI Beck Hopelessness Scale score of 9 or greater Ability to adequately respond to questions regarding the informed consent procedure Exclusion Criteria for RCT: Diagnosis of neurological condition(s) History of alcohol abuse in the seven days prior to baseline assessment History of non-alcohol substance abuse within the last 30 days prior to baseline assessment Same-day drug or alcohol abuse during treatment History of mild TBI only Inability to travel to the Denver VA for weekly therapy sessions

Brenner LA, Forster JE, Hoffberg AS, Matarazzo BB, Hostetter TA, Signoracci G, Simpson GK. Window to Hope: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Psychological Intervention for the Treatment of Hopelessness Among Veterans With Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2018 Mar/Apr;33(2):E64-E73. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000351.

Matarazzo BB, Hoffberg AS, Clemans TA, Signoracci GM, Simpson GK, Brenner LA. Cross-cultural adaptation of the Window to Hope: a psychological intervention to reduce hopelessness among U.S. veterans with traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj. 2014;28(10):1238-47. doi: 10.3109/02699052.2014.916419. Epub 2014 Jun 19.