PTSD Coach Around the World

Overview

Journal Mhealth

Publisher AME Publishing Company

Date 2018 Jul 3

PMID 29963560

Citations 27

Authors

Eric Kuhn

Christianne van der Meer

Jason E Owen

Julia E Hoffman

Richard Cash

Pasqualina Carrese

Miranda Olff

Anne Bakker

Julia Schellong

Patrick Lorenz

Matthias Schopp

Heinrich Rau

Kerstin Weidner

Filip K Arnberg

Martin Cernvall

Thomas Iversen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a global public health problem. Unfortunately, many individuals with PTSD do not receive professional care due to a lack of available providers, stigma about mental illness, and other concerns. Technology-based interventions, including mobile phone applications (apps) may be a viable means of surmounting such barriers and reaching and helping those in need. Given this potential, in 2011 the U.S Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD released PTSD Coach, a mobile app intended to provide psycho-education and self-management tools for trauma survivors with PTSD symptoms. Emerging research on PTSD Coach demonstrates high user satisfaction, feasibility, and improvement in PTSD symptoms and other psychosocial outcomes. A model of openly sharing the app's source code and content has resulted in versions being created by individuals in six other countries: Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. These versions are described, highlighting their significant adaptations, enhancements, and expansions to the original PTSD Coach app as well as emerging research on them. It is clear that the sharing of app source code and content has benefited this emerging PTSD Coach community, as well as the populations they are targeting. Despite this success, challenges remain especially reaching trauma survivors in areas where few or no other mental health resources exist.

Citing Articles

Examining the epigenetic transmission of risk for chronic pain associated with paternal post-traumatic stress disorder: a focus on veteran populations.

Freeman J, Salberg S, Noel M, Mychasiuk R Transl Psychiatry. 2025; 15(1):42.

PMID: 39910041 PMC: 11799465. DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03267-w.

Use of Go-Beyond as a Self-Directed Internet-Based Program Supporting Veterans' Transition to Civilian Life: Preliminary Usability Study.

Alichniewicz K, Hampton S, Romaniuk M, Bennett D, Guindalini C JMIR Form Res. 2025; 9:e60868.

PMID: 39847427 PMC: 11803338. DOI: 10.2196/60868.

Participants' experiences of a counsellor-supported PTSD Coach intervention in a resource-constrained setting.

Brocker E, Scheffler F, Suliman S, Olff M, Seedat S Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2024; 11:e36.

PMID: 38572257 PMC: 10988172. DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2024.34.

Mobile Apps to Support Mental Health Response in Natural Disasters: Scoping Review.

Ezeonu N, Hertelendy A, Adu M, Kung J, Itanyi I, Dias R J Med Internet Res. 2024; 26:e49929.

PMID: 38520699 PMC: 11063879. DOI: 10.2196/49929.

Feasibility and utility of mobile health interventions for depression and anxiety in rural populations: A scoping review.

McCarthy M, Wicker A, Roddy J, Remiker M, Roy I, McCoy M Internet Interv. 2024; 35:100724.

PMID: 38352194 PMC: 10863305. DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2024.100724.

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