Battlemind Training for UK Armed Forces: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial
Abstract
Background: Research among Armed Forces (AF) personnel has found that combat exposure can increase the risk of subsequent psychological ill-health. Psycho-educational interventions for personnel returning from deployment have been developed as one approach to try to mitigate the possible ill-effects of combat. One such intervention is Battlemind, which was developed by the US Army and was found to have a beneficial effect on mental health among those exposed to high levels of potentially traumatic combat events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Battlemind in UK AF. Methods: Battlemind was compared with the UK standard stress and homecoming brief in a cluster randomised controlled trial. Participants were AF Personnel returning home from deployment in Afghanistan via a third location decompression facility in Cyprus. We recruited 2443 personnel who completed a baseline questionnaire about combat experiences and mental health before they received the brief. Of these, 1616 (66%) completed a follow-up questionnaire approximately 6 months later. Measures of mental health included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) which is a measure of common mental disorders, and the post traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL-C). Alcohol misuse was measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) plus an additional question about binge drinking. A binge drinker was defined as someone who drinks 12 or more units on a single occasion weekly or daily/almost daily. Participants also completed feedback questions about the brief they had received. Differences in study outcomes between Battlemind and the standard brief were analyzed using mixed-effect models to take account of possible cluster effects. Main Findings: In the mixed effects model, we did not find a statistically significant difference between Battlemind and the standard brief in either symptoms of PTSD or GHQ-12 caseness. Overall AUDIT scores did not differ significantly betwee
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA584183
Entities
People
- Kathleen Mulligan
Organizations
- NATO Science and Technology Organization