An interventional study of Telephone support groups in Military Spouses, Support Groups and Stress Disorders, sponsored by Memphis VA Medical Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-06-28.
Sponsored by Memphis VA Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study will expand the Department of Defense (DoD) one time, face-to-face post deployment BATTLEMIND training for spouses of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Guard/Reserve service members into year-long, telephone groups focusing on education, skills building and support. The goal is to build spouses' resilience to cope with reintegration, help them serve as a support system for returning service members, and ease the transition for families post-deployment.
Exclusion Criteria:
12 telephone support group sessions based on the letters of the word BATTLEMIND
Behavioral: Telephone support groups
There was one intervention. Participants were enrolled in one of 14 telephone groups (each with a trained Group Leader and 6 participants) will focus on education, training in and practice of coping skills and cognitive restructuring (identifying and re-shaping negative and destructive thoughts), and support through 12 hour-long structured sessions. The content, modeled on Soldier BATTLEMIND, targets readjustment concepts based on the letters of BATTLEMIND, including Bonds, Adding and subtracting family roles, Taking control, Talking it out, Loyalty and commitment, Emotional balance, Mental health and readiness, Independence and interdependence, Navigating the system, Denial of self and a concluding session entitled Moving forward.
Spouse Self-report of Depression
Depression measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-27 with lower scores indicating less depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months
Anxiety
Anxiety measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7)measured at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-21, with lower scores indicating fewer anxiety symptoms.
Time frame: baseline, 6 months and 12 months
Quality of Marriage
Measure of marriage quality using Quality Marriage Index at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 6-45 with higher scores indicating better quality of marriage.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 and 12 months
Family Coping
Family problem solving measured at baseline, six and 12 months with the F-COPES measure. Scores range from 29-145 with higher scores indicating better coping.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months and 12 months
Spouse Social Support
Support measured with the Social Support Index at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-68 with higher scores indicating better social support.
Time frame: baseline, 6 months, and 12 months
Family Communication
Family communication measured with the Family Problem Solving Communication scale at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-30 with higher scores indicating better communication.
Time frame: baseline, 6 months, and 12 months
April 2009 - January 2010 and April 2010 - June 2010. There were 86 spouses enrolled in 14 groups. Spouses were recruited nationally through online methods such as websites and emails, mailings, and referrals from military, advocacy groups and veterans facilities. Twenty-six were referrals from the national Wounded Warrior Project office.
| Milestone | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Started | 86 |
| Completed | 69 |
| Not completed | 17 |
Depression measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-27 with lower scores indicating less depressive symptoms.
| units on a scale | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Depression score at baseline (n=86) | 8.9 ± 5.9 |
| Depression score at 6 months (n=77) | 7.4 ± 5.6 |
| Depression score at 12 months (n=70) | 6.9 ± 5.7 |
Family problem solving measured at baseline, six and 12 months with the F-COPES measure. Scores range from 29-145 with higher scores indicating better coping.
| units on a scale | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Family coping score at baseline (n=85) | 104.3 ± 13.8 |
| Family coping score at 6 months (n=77) | 104.7 ± 13.7 |
| Family coping score at 12 months (n=70) | 105.7 ± 14.5 |
Anxiety measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7)measured at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-21, with lower scores indicating fewer anxiety symptoms.
| units on a scale | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Anxiety score at baseline (n=86) | 8.9 ± 5.7 |
| Anxiety score at 6 months (n=77) | 6.7 ± 5.1 |
| Anxiety score at 12 months (n=70) | 6.7 ± 5.6 |
Measure of marriage quality using Quality Marriage Index at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 6-45 with higher scores indicating better quality of marriage.
| units on a scale | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Marriage quality score at baseline (n=86) | 32.7 ± 8.0 |
| Marriage quality score at 6 months (n=77) | 31.6 ± 9.9 |
| Marriage quality score at 12 months (n=70) | 31.9 ± 9.8 |
Support measured with the Social Support Index at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-68 with higher scores indicating better social support.
| units on a scale | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Social Support score at baseline (n=86) | 44.0 ± 8.6 |
| Social Support score at 6 months (n=77) | 46.0 ± 10.2 |
| Social Support score at 12 months (n=70) | 45.5 ± 10.1 |
Family communication measured with the Family Problem Solving Communication scale at baseline, six and 12 months. Scores range from 0-30 with higher scores indicating better communication.
| units on a scale | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Family communication score at baseline (n=85) | 19.9 ± 6.2 |
| Family communication score at 6 months (n=77) | 20.9 ± 6.4 |
| Family communication score at 12 months (n=70) | 20.9 ± 6.2 |
Non-serious events are listed at a 1% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telephone Support | 0/86 (0%) | 0/86 (0%) | 0/86 (0%) |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Mean | 37.4 ± 9.0 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| Female | 86 |
| Male | 0 |
| Region of Enrollment(participants) | Telephone Support |
|---|---|
| United States | 86 |
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Memphis VA Medical Center