afterdeployment.org: A web-based multimedia wellness resource for the postdeployment military community.

Abstract

Practicing psycbologists and otber bealtb professionals are facing a growing patient population of United States military service members witb significant psycbological and behavioral bealtb concems retuming from war zones in Afgbanistan and Iraq. Some of these issues are new and unfamiliar to many bealtb providers. Furtbermore, because of a military culture of self-reliance, strengtb, and tbe perceived stigma of seeking mental bealtb services, a second and substantial population of service members-in-need is cboosing not to consult bealtb professionals at all. Tbe Intemet and otber networked multimedia tecbnologies now offer a deb expert resource for providers, and an anonymous, less stigmatizing venue for self-management for service members and tbeir families. Over tbe last 2 years tbe U.S. Defense Department's National Center for Telebealtb & Tecbnology bas developed afterdeployment.org, a Web-based set of resources, tools, and aids for service members, veterans, and tbeir families, afterdeployment.org provides education and skills-development exercises aimed at overcoming cballenges to tbe adjustment process after a deployment. Tbe Website also provides bealtb professionals witb a comprebensive resource to serve as an adjunct to face to face treatment of individuals in tbe military community.

A Preliminary Study of an Internet‐Based Intervention for OEF/OIF Veterans Presenting for VA Specialty PTSD Care

“…The PTS Workshop is an online, cognitive–behavioral‐based self‐management course that consists of eight sessions with homework assigned between sessions. It includes psychoeducation about PTS, identification of trauma triggers, relaxation and breathing exercises, problem‐solving skills, and trauma writing exercises to promote cognitive reframing and low‐level exposure (see Bush et al., ). Care managers, who were regular clinic staff, called participants weekly by phone to briefly assess symptoms, answer questions, and promote workshop adherence using a manualized script.…”

“…Online interventions may provide one solution to help address these gaps. Recently, the effectiveness of the Post‐Traumatic Stress (PTS) Workshop (Bush, Bosmajian, Fairall, McCann, & Ciulla, ), a web‐based resource developed specifically for service members and veterans, was evaluated with a sample of OEF/OIF veterans attending a university (Bush et al., ). Forty percent of participants experienced significant reductions in PTSD symptoms (mean symptom change greater than −2.75 SD ; p < .05) and rated the workshop as acceptable, helpful, and appropriate for other student veterans.…”

Technology‐Enhanced Stepped Collaborative Care Targeting Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Comorbidity After Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Population-based automated screening procedures now exist that can enhance the efficient detection of injury survivors at high risk for the development of PTSD (Russo, Katon, & Zatzick, 2013). Similarly, web-based, cell, and smartphone applications have been developed for PTSD screening and intervention (Bush, Bosmajian, Fairall, McCann, & Ciulla, 2011; Mouthaan et al, 2013; Price et al, 2014; Ranney et al, 2012; Ruzek et al, 2011). …”

Internet and mobile technologies: addressing the mental health of trauma survivors in less resourced communities

“…Web-based interventions have been developed as a response to mass traumas such as disaster (Ruggiero et al . 2012 , 2015 ) and war (Bush et al 2011 ). Internet interventions for PTSD are significantly more effective than passive controls, with medium to large effect sizes (Kuester et al 2016 ).…”