Expressive Writing Intervention for PTSD Prevention

描述（由申请人提供）：这个R34试点干预申请寻求资金，以评估一种新的干预措施的可行性和潜在有效性，旨在防止严重身体伤害的成年幸存者发生创伤后应激障碍。干预，其中包括书面自我披露，是来自基本的社会心理学实验室研究，并将被翻译为在上下文中使用的应用工具 创伤后的住院治疗计划中的评估将招募来自大型创伤中心的患者，该中心为西班牙裔和低SES社区提供服务。科学文献表明，这个社区可能特别需要针对预防创伤相关精神病理学发展的新干预措施。研究参与者（N = 106）在住院治疗身体伤害期间被招募为PTSD的风险，并随机分配参加两种写作条件之一：书面情感披露（N = 53）或对照条件，其中参与者写一些世俗的话题（N = 53）。 计划中的研究的总体目标是收集所需的信息，以确定可行性和潜在的优点，安装一个全面的研究，写作干预的战略，以防止创伤后应激障碍的发展在身体创伤幸存者。 本研究的具体目的是：（1）评估书写干预的可行性、耐受性、可接受性和安全性;（2）提供一个 初步评估书写干预是否有希望作为预防创伤幸存者PTSD发展的策略：（3）评估年龄、教育、阅读水平和文化适应作为干预对心理健康结果影响的可能调节因素的重要性;（4）探讨写作干预对心理健康影响的可能机制。 如果这项试点研究的结果和随后的全面干预证明是成功的，那么创伤中心的服务提供者将有一个多功能的，低成本的，易于获得的工具，以提供物理 创伤幸存者有发生创伤相关精神病理学的风险。这一工具可能是特别有用的经济上处于不利地位的西班牙裔幸存者谁可能选择不利用自己的正式心理健康服务。从这项随机对照试验中获得的关于治疗疗效可能的调节剂和介导剂的知识有助于开发更有效的干预措施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This R34 pilot intervention application seeks funds to evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a novel intervention aimed at preventing the development of posttraumatic stress disorder in adult survivors of serious physical injury. The intervention, which involves written self-disclosure, is derived from basic social psychological laboratory research, and will be translated for use as an applied tool in the context of post- trauma hospitalization aftercare. The planned evaluation will recruit patients drawn from a large trauma center that provides services to a predominantly Hispanic and low SES community. The scientific literature suggests that this community may have particular need for novel interventions directed at preventing the development of trauma-related psychopathology. Study participants (N = 106) at risk for developing PTSD would be recruited during hospitalization for treatment of physical injury, and randomly assigned to participate in one of two writing conditions: written emotional disclosure (N = 53) or a control condition in which participants write about mundane topics (N = 53). The overarching objective of the planned research is to collect information needed to determine the feasibility and potential merit of mounting a full-scale study of writing interventions as strategies to prevent the development of PTSD in physical trauma survivors. The specific aims of this study are: (1) to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, acceptability, and safety of the writing interventions; (2) to provide a preliminary evaluation as to whether the writing intervention possesses promise as strategy for preventing the development of PTSD in physical trauma survivors; (3) to assess the importance of age, education, reading level, and acculturation as possible moderators of the impact of the intervention on mental health outcomes; and (4) to examine possible mechanisms by which the writing interventions may exert their impact on mental health outcomes. If the results of this pilot study and the subsequent full-scale intervention prove successful, then trauma center service providers would have a versatile, low cost, and easily accessible tool to offer to physical injury survivors at risk for trauma-related psychopathology. This tool may be particularly useful for economically- disadvantaged Hispanic survivors who may choose not to avail themselves of formal mental health services. Knowledge derived from this randomized controlled trial regarding possible moderators and mediators of treatment efficacy can contribute to the development of more efficacious interventions.