Failure to engage: A qualitative study of veterans who decline evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD

• Published in: Psychological services Vol. 15; no. 4; p. 536
• Main Authors: Hundt, Natalie E, Helm, Ashley, Smith, Tracey L, Lamkin, Joanna, Cully, Jeffrey A, Stanley, Melinda A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Evidence-Based Practice; Female; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Implosive Therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Qualitative Research; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy; Veterans - psychology
• ISSN: 1939-148X
• DOI: 10.1037/ser0000212

Low engagement in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychotherapy is a common problem in the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), with up to half of veterans who are referred to an evidence-based psychotherapy failing to engage in that treatment. Prior research has focused on identifying general barriers to mental health treatment rather than barriers specific to evidence-based treatments for PTSD. The purpose of the current study was to identify barriers for veterans who referred specifically for evidence-based psychotherapy (i.e., cognitive processing therapy or prolonged exposure) but who did not attend any sessions of those psychotherapies. Qualitative interviews (N = 24) were used to gain a better understanding of the experiences and attitudes of these veterans. Most veterans reported multiple barriers to treatment engagement (M = 4.2 barriers), suggesting that an accumulation of barriers contributes to poor engagement. Barriers fell into 5 categories: practical, knowledge, emotional, therapy-related, and VA-system-related. The most-endorsed category, mentioned by two thirds of the sample, was VA-system-related barriers, including inefficiencies and delays, negative experiences with VA staff and providers, discomfort with the VA environment, and difficulty navigating the VA system. Veterans' experienced barriers to beginning PE and CPT were diverse but, overall, highlighted the need to transform the VA to a more patient-centered model of care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).