Online Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in WTC Responders and Survivors

Some people who live through traumatic experiences, such as the 9/11 WTC attacks or their aftermath, suffer from mental and physical problems that occur as a result of the incident and can persist over time. These problems are known as post-traumatic stress reactions or symptoms, and may include sleep disturbances, feelings of guilt and shame, persistent nightmares or upsetting memories of the incident, avoidance of reminders that might trigger upsetting memories, loss of interest in activities, concentration difficulties, and feeling distant from other people. People who experience persistent PTSD symptoms often receive treatment in person in an outpatient clinic. However, recent findings suggest that Internet-based treatment can also yield positive treatment effects. The Internet offers people the opportunity to receive psychological support from home. For some people, it is easier to communicate without direct visual contact with another person about their experiences. Despite the distance, people can reflect on their situation or concerns with the help of a personal therapist. As mentioned above, this study is for WTC responders who are not currently receiving psychotherapy/ counseling. After completing the online consent form and an initial online questionnaire, participants complete a telephone assessment conducted by a member of the team at Mount Sinai Medical Center. If you are eligible and agree to participate, you will be randomly assigned (as by the flip of a coin) to receive one of two therapies: Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy or Internet-based supportive therapy. Each participant is assigned a personal therapist from the team at Mount Sinai to work with throughout the treatment. In this study, communication between participant and therapist is conducted exclusively across the Internet, in written form, through the secure Web platform housed at Mount Sinai. The treatment involves written exchanges between participant and therapist over the course of approximately six weeks. Through guided writing, online therapy aims to help WTC responders process their traumatic experiences or better manage current life problems. In this study, the researchers aim to find out if Internet-based therapy can help WTC responders who are still experiencing PTSD symptoms.