None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to assess and compare the effectiveness of two different early -intervention treatments to reduce posttraumatic stress in paramedics following recent exposure to a traumatic event. The treatments that will be offered in the study are Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (i.e., EMDR-PRECI) therapy and Psychosocial Skills Training. It is hypothesised that EMDR-PRECI will be superior to psychosocial skills training in reducing posttraumatic stress symptoms in relation to the recent critical incident, both immediately following treatment and at follow-up. Similarly, it is hypothesised that EMDR-PRECI will be superior to psychosocial skills training in reducing posttraumatic stress symptoms associated with other trauma events, both immediately following treatment and at follow-up.
Interventions
In this clinical trial we will test the effectiveness of EMDR as an early intervention to reduce posttraumatic stress for Ambulance Victoria first responders. We will compare the effectiveness of EMDR Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents (EMDR-PRECI) to an active control group who will receive Psychosocial Skills Training (PST), an intervention that does not directly target the trauma memory.
The intervention arm of the study will use the EMDR Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents and Ongoi
In this clinical trial we will test the effectiveness of EMDR as an early intervention to reduce posttraumatic stress for Ambulance Victoria first responders. We will compare the effectiveness of EMDR Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents (EMDR-PRECI) to an active control group who will receive Psychosocial Skills Training (PST), an intervention that does not directly target the trauma memory. The intervention arm of the study will use the EMDR Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents and Ongoing Traumatic Stress (EMDR-PRECI) for In-person or Online Administration developed by Ignacio Jarero and Lucina Artigas (1998-2022). Treatment involves participants focusing on disturbing parts of the recent critical incident while simultaneously engaging in a bilateral task (i.e., as eye movements for in-person sessions and tapping for online sessions) with the aim of reducing the vividness and negative emotions associated with trauma memories. This process is repeated until all disturbing parts of the memory have been reprocessed and associated subjective distress has reduced to 0 (or ecological validity). Treatment also includes the installation of a positive belief relating to the critical incident and a body scan, again while executing the bilateral task. The treatment is manualised and will be delivered by Ambulance Victoria experienced psychologists either in-person or online. The intervention will consist of up to six individual sessions lasting for 60 minutes. Massed treatment, i.e., the provision of multiple therapy sessions in a short period of time, will consist of 2 sessions per week delivered over a three-week period and provided by rotating clinicians. A sample of the recorded sessions will be reviewed by two independent reviewers for treatment fidelity adherence and quality assurance.
Sponsors
Ambulance Victoria
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Be an operational employee or volunteer first responder of Ambulance Victoria. 2. Have experienced exposure to a traumatic event within the last 3 months. A traumatic event is defined as directly experiencing or witnessing in person an event that involves exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It can also include learning that the traumatic event occurred to a close family member or close friend, or experiencing repeated/extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s). Exposure to the traumatic event does not have to occur in the course of operational duties (e.g., exposure to a traumatic event in an individual’s personal life). 3. Experiencing subjective ongoing distress (i.e., subjectively defined by the participant) related to the event.
Exclusion criteria
1. Reporting acute risk of self-harm/suicide. 2. Receiving, or expecting to receive, any form of psychological treatment or support (professional or peer) during the treatment phase. 3. Likelihood of requiring changes in any medication for PTSD, depression or anxiety during the treatment phase. 4. Unable to commit to full participation in the study over a seven-month period.
Outcome results
None listed