This study has two main goals. First, it aims to test a treatment called written exposure therapy to see if it can help military service members who have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Second, it aims to test a new way of making this therapy more accessible in military clinics by utilizing task-sharing with Behavioral Health Technicians (BHTs). PTSD is a common and serious issue among service members. Written exposure therapy (WET) has been proven to be effective for improving PTSD that requires five therapy sessions delivered weekly. This study aims to determine: 1. How well does written exposure therapy help to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress for service members with PTSD? 2. Is sharing the therapy tasks with behavioral health technicians is a helpful approach for managing behavioral health clinic patient volume and improving patient outcomes? We plan to recruit a total of 40-59 staff participants, as well as 150 active-duty patient participants with PTSD. We will randomize patient participants to one of two treatment conditions: 1) treatment-as-usual (TAU) or 2) TAU and 5 sessions of WET. Staff and participants will be recruited from two military treatment facilities: 1) Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio (Brooke Army Medical Center) and 2) Camp Pendleton (Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton). Consented patient participants will: * Complete a PTSD interview via telehealth with a study team member to determine if you are eligible for the study * Be randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: 1) TAU + WET or 2) TAU * Complete up to 8 weeks of behavioral health treatment (either TAU + WET or TAU) * Complete self-report measures before, during, and after treatment, and at a 3- and 6-month follow up assessment after the treatment period * Complete a posttreatment PTSD interview via telehealth with a study team member * A subset of participants will be asked to complete a brief treatment experience interview posttreatment Consented staff participants will: * Participate in an interview about your perceptions of and experiences supporting BHT-delivered WET with a study team member at the VAPAHCS * A subset of participants will also be asked to participate in a brief staff feedback interview approximately 6 months after their first interview
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5)
Timeframe: Change from baseline to immediately post treatment