The Evidence Base for Interventions Targeting Individuals With Work-Related PTSD: A Systematic Review and Recommendations

Torchalla, Iris; Strehlau, Verena

doi:10.1177/0145445517725048

Cited by 21 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 62 publications

(158 reference statements)

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“…The authors of three reviews (Stergiopoulos et al, 2011; Chen et al, 2014; Thomaes et al, 2014) had reported their search strategies in such a manner that we could answer the critical appraisal question: “Do you think all the important, relevant studies were included?” with “Yes”. For four reviews (Zantvoord et al, 2013; Cusack et al, 2016; Swan et al, 2017; Torchalla and Strehlau, 2017), it was unclear whether the reported search strategy had found all important, relevant studies; for two of these, Cusack et al (2016) and Zantvoord et al (2013), we were unable to access the full search strategy. We answered the question with “No” for thirteen of the reviews (Lapp et al, 2010; Goodson et al, 2011; Haugen et al, 2012; Ho and Lee, 2012; Mello et al, 2013; Watts et al, 2013; Ehring et al, 2014; Jong et al, 2014; Chen et al, 2015; Haagen et al, 2015; Erford et al, 2016; Lenz et al, 2017; Tribe et al, 2017).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poor Quality in Systematic Reviews on PTSD and EMDR – An Examination of Search Methodology and Reporting

et al. 2019

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Background: Different user groups regard systematic reviews as reliable and valuable sources for answering research questions. For systematic reviews to fulfill their purpose, methodological quality in all stages are of importance. The studies identified in a systematic search form the basis of the review, thus the search process methodology is important for both performing and reporting the search. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the quality of non-Cochrane systematic reviews by analyzing how they perform and report the search. This is exemplified by systematic reviews on eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), a trauma-focused therapy commonly used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods and Results: We examined the method chapters of 20 systematic reviews on the subject, and rated their searches and reporting using relevant elements from the Cochrane Handbook and PRISMA. We found inadequacies in the methods employed for searching and reporting the search strategy, which could have been avoided by greater adherence to guiding documents for performing systematic reviews. Conclusion: Our findings raise important questions for future debate on the risk of omitting studies, thus impairing the conclusions in a systematic review. For clinical purposes, researchers should investigate if, and how, the search strategy in a systematic review affects the body of knowledge and the results.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poor Quality in Systematic Reviews on PTSD and EMDR – An Examination of Search Methodology and Reporting

et al. 2019

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“…However, the program did not include a return-to-work component. Existing treatment manuals usually lack information on how to address return to work, and the few studies that did modify therapy protocols to facilitate this were conducted with workers who had experienced a single trauma, most notably workers with industrial injuries (see Torchalla & Strehlau 2018 for an overview). Occupational therapists are trained in functional capacity evaluation and thus are well qualified to address work-related psychological impairments and return to work.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Typically, expectations are related to both symptom reduction and resumption of work. However, research reporting return-to-work outcomes of interventions for individuals with work-related PTSD has remained scant (Torchalla & Strehlau, 2018 ). In addition, despite the strong evidence for the effectiveness of exposure-based psychotherapies, they remain underutilized by community-based clinicians (Pittig et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interdisciplinary Trauma-focused Therapy and Return-to-work Support for A Police Officer with Work-related PTSD: A Case Study

Torchalla¹,

Killoran²

2022

J Contemp Psychother

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Police officers carry a high risk of exposure to traumatic events in their everyday work duties and are at an increased risk for work-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Practitioners lack clear guidance on how to support these individuals to facilitate both mental health recovery and return to work, particularly for those receiving treatment in the context of a claim with a workers’ compensation board. The following case study describes the treatment of a female police officer who had experienced numerous traumatic events over the course of her career, and subsequently filed a claim with the workers’ compensation board of British Columbia. She was referred to an interdisciplinary program that involved both psychology and occupational therapy interventions, including a trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy intervention followed by a gradual return to work. The outcome suggests that intensive, interdisciplinary trauma-focused treatment is a promising approach for supporting police officers with their recovery and return to work.

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“…One of the explanations offered for this phenomenon is that those who seek compensation may be afraid of not receiving recognition and compensation if they report significant improvements in their PTSD symptoms (Walter et al, 2014). Furthermore, many may struggle with returning to work after being treated for profession-related PTSD (Torchalla & Strehlau, 2018), for example because of residual symptoms such as concentration problems (Smid et al, 2018) or fear of stigmatization (Haugen, et al, 2017)-which might influence symptom reporting. Finally, this finding could be related to the larger occupational context of police officers in the Netherlands.…”

Section: Treatment Outcome Predictorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment response and treatment response predictors of a multidisciplinary day clinic for police officers with PTSD.

Martinmäki¹,

Aa²,

Nijdam³

et al. 2023

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective: Police officers typically face multiple potentially traumatic events and consequently have a higher conditional probability of developing PTSD. Although most police officers with PTSD benefit from first-line treatment, it is unknown whether recommended intensification of treatment for low responders is effective and which factors contribute to response. This study aimed to examine the treatment response of a day clinic for police officers with PTSD and identify predictors of treatment response. Method: Between 2009 and 2019, routine outcome monitoring measurements consisting of PTSD symptom severity and general psychological distress were administered at two timepoints among 102 patients undergoing a day clinic treatment consisting of trauma-focused therapy, sociotherapy, and psychomotor therapy. Hierarchical regression was used to assess whether change in PTSD symptom severity was associated with baseline PTSD and depression severity, gender, age, and eligibility for a recognition procedure. Results: Significant improvements in PTSD symptom severity were found over the course of the treatment (d = .59), with 47% of patients showing statistically reliable improvement in their symptoms. The only significant predictor of treatment response was eligibility for a recognition procedure, with the total model explaining approximately 10% of the variation in treatment response. Conclusions: Intensifying treatment for police officers with PTSD who do not respond to previous trauma-focused treatment appears beneficial for a substantial number of patients. However, eligibility for a recognition procedure may negatively impact treatment response. Clinical Impact StatementPolice officers are frequently exposed to traumatic experiences and consequently may develop PTSD. Most police officers with PTSD benefit from first-line trauma-focused treatment but some need additional treatment. This study showed that about 50% of police officers who did not benefit from previous trauma-focused treatment, do benefit from participation in a trauma-focused day clinic. However, those eligible for or involved in procedures for obtaining recognition of PTSD as an occupational disorder during treatment may benefit less. In conclusion, it appears worthwhile to offer intensive treatment to police officers with PTSD who fail to benefit from first-line treatment.

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The Evidence Base for Interventions Targeting Individuals With Work-Related PTSD: A Systematic Review and Recommendations

Cited by 21 publications

References 62 publications

Poor Quality in Systematic Reviews on PTSD and EMDR – An Examination of Search Methodology and Reporting

Poor Quality in Systematic Reviews on PTSD and EMDR – An Examination of Search Methodology and Reporting

Interdisciplinary Trauma-focused Therapy and Return-to-work Support for A Police Officer with Work-related PTSD: A Case Study

Treatment response and treatment response predictors of a multidisciplinary day clinic for police officers with PTSD.

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