Abstract
BackgroundCanadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) overcomes many such barriers, and is effective for treating depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.ObjectiveThis 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.MethodsWe employed a longitudinal single-group open-trial design (N=83) with outcome measures administered at screening and at 8 weeks posttreatment. Data were 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; symptoms of panic, social anxiety, and anger; as well as treatment satisfaction, working alliance, and program usage patterns.ResultsClients 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.ConclusionsTailored, transdiagnostic ICBT demonstrated promising outcomes as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and PTSD among Saskatchewan PSP and warrants further investigation.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04127032; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04127032
Highlights
Public safety personnel (PSP) include border security personnel, communications officials, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and others whose work keeps communities safe [1]
This paper presents the initial outcomes of the public safety personnel (PSP) Wellbeing Course among the first 83 PSP enrolled in the course during the first 7 months of availability in Saskatchewan
The results indicated large effect sizes on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and a moderate effect size on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Summary
Public safety personnel (PSP) include border security personnel, communications officials (eg, emergency response dispatchers), correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and others whose work keeps communities safe [1]. PSP frequently experience or witness potentially traumatic events such as motor vehicle collisions and acts of violence [2,3,4] Research shows that such events put individuals at risk of developing several emotional disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, and panic disorder [5,6,7,8,9,10]. Canadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. We examined the effectiveness of a tailored ICBT program for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among PSP in the province of Saskatchewan. Secondary outcomes included changes in functional impairment; symptoms of panic, social anxiety, and anger; as well as treatment satisfaction, working alliance, and program usage patterns.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
