Projects

The Wilford-Hall Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment outcome study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments (EBT’s) currently administered to patients who present in the Air Force Mental Health clinic with PTSD symptoms. The data for this study are from case reviews of 166 patients seen in the Wilford-Hall PTSD clinic between August 5, 2004, and April 7, 2014. Cases were coded using a coding system developed by the Wilford-Hall Air Force research team with input from staff at the Penn State Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness (Clearinghouse). De-identified data were computer entered, cleaned, and analyzed at the Clearinghouse. A major focus of the study examined whether treatment sessions received by patients were on protocol or off protocol, according to the EBT utilized, and whether EBT adherence was associated with symptom reduction over time. Clinicians indicated whether their sessions were on protocol. Further information regarding the content of each session, including the quality of EBT delivery, was not available. Therefore, we were unable to evaluate why sessions were off protocol, or what activities actually occurred during the treatment sessions. A total of nine recommendations were made based on the results of this study.