Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings
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J Clin Psychol Med Settings · Jun 2011
ReviewComplicating factors associated with mild traumatic brain injury: impact on pain and posttraumatic stress disorder treatment.
The nature of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted in high rates of comorbidity among chronic pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). Although separate evidence-based psychological treatments have been developed for chronic pain and PTSD, far less is known about how to approach treatment when these conditions co-occur, and especially when they co-occur with mTBI. To provide the best care possible for OEF/OIF Veterans, clinicians need to have a clearer understanding of how to identify these conditions, ways in which these conditions may interact with one another, and ways in which existing evidence-based treatments can be modified to meet the needs of individuals with mTBI. ⋯ The challenges associated with mTBI in OEF/OIF Veterans will be reported and data will be presented on the comorbidity among all three of these conditions in OEF/OIF Veterans. Second, we will present recommendations for providing psychological treatment for chronic pain and PTSD when comorbid with mTBI. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of the need for a multidisciplinary treatment approach, as well as a call for continued research to further refine existing treatments for these conditions.
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J Clin Psychol Med Settings · Jun 2011
ReviewVirtual reality goes to war: a brief review of the future of military behavioral healthcare.
Numerous reports indicate that the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in returning OEF/OIF military personnel is creating a significant healthcare challenge. These findings have served to motivate research on how to better develop and disseminate evidence-based treatments for PTSD. Virtual Reality delivered exposure therapy for PTSD has been previously used with reports of positive outcomes. ⋯ The summarized projects in these areas have been developed at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies, a U. S. Army University Affiliated Research Center, and this paper will detail efforts to use virtual reality to deliver exposure therapy, assess PTSD and cognitive function and provide stress resilience training prior to deployment.
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J Clin Psychol Med Settings · Jun 2011
ReviewTechnology complementing military behavioral health efforts at tripler army medical center.
The purpose of this article is to provide a short narrative on the ways that behavioral health professionals and their patients are currently benefitting from the use of technology. Examples stem from applications of technology to patients/research participants at the Tripler Army Medical Center. The paper also discusses how current use of this technology has made it possible to serve individuals in their own cultural environment, providing a cost-effective means of providing mental health services.