Could people who experience PTSD hold a potential key to relief right in the palm of their hand?
I’m talking about a smartphone app that could help reduce symptoms of PTSD.
Back in 2011, the U.S. Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD developed the app, PTSD Coach, to help veterans suffering from posttraumatic symptoms. Since then, it’s been available for anyone to use and has gained popularity with over 350,000 downloads in 106 countries.
The app takes a broad approach. It educates about PTSD, offers information on how to find professional help, and provides tools (such as meditation exercises, strategies for anger management, and other self-help techniques) to help users manage their symptoms.
About 5 years after its inception, a research team tested its effectiveness.
Eric Kuhn, PhD, and a team of researchers from the Veteran Affairs department and Stanford University recruited a cohort of 120 adults who had been exposed to a traumatic event more than 1 month prior.
In an initial assessment, the team evaluated participants’ symptom severity via the PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C), a self-report questionnaire that measures PTSD symptoms. Participants were then randomly assigned to either the experimental group (62 participants) who used the app whenever they needed or a wait-list control group (58 participants) who received no therapeutic intervention.
After 3 months, participants returned for a reassessment. Those who were part of the experimental group were also asked to report how many days per week they used the app.
The findings showed that 46.8% of app users significantly improved compared to only 25.9% of the control group.
It’s interesting to note that participants maintained this symptom reduction at the follow-up appointment 3 months later.
Now, I want to point out that this study only included a no treatment control group. The problem with this research design is that without another treatment option (an active control) we can’t say for certain whether the findings can be attributed to the app or from simply receiving intervention. A potential active control might have been to include a group who downloaded music to use when they wanted.
I also want to point out that the app is in no way a substitute for psychotherapy with a seasoned practitioner. But it could be life-altering when therapy is unavailable. It might also be useful to supplement psychotherapy between sessions.
PTSD Coach is available to anyone for free. Here’s a link to download the app for Apple users. And if you have an android, you can download it here.
If you’d like to read this study, you can find it in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, volume 85, issue 3, pp. 267-273.
Now I’d like to hear from you. Have you tried PTSD Coach or used another app to supplement sessions with your clients?
Please leave a comment below.
This app is my go to for treating my chronic ptsd. I take the scheduled assessments and keep symptoms managable by mastering these skills.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I’m a new PMHNP that not only prescribes, but provides therapy. I am always looking for ways to help my patients!
I tell clients about Virtual Hope Box! I love it because it allows incorporation of CBT techniques, as well as body sensations and distraction tools (games) for clients to move from distress to calm. It includes guided meditations, deep breathing, inspirational quotes (although not all of these are my favorites). It allows the client to create personalized “coping cards” where they are able to identify a sitaution/feeling, list how their body responds in that situation, then what coping strategies are helpful.
Nice knowledgeable article.
Thanks, really helpful!
This is wonderful – thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi Ruth,
Thank you for sharing this info. You have been such a valuable source for my continuing education post graduate learning – both in introducing new topics and resources. You have been a model for generosity and consistency in looking for new ways to increase our therapeutic skills.
To do my part, I will pass on your website to my colleagues.
Thank you. I will take a look at it. Always good to get resources.
Thank you for sharing this resource. I’ll be interested in looking at it.
There is a CBT app called Woebot which is quite good
Thank you. I have downloaded it and began setting it up.
I have used the PTSD coach mainly to keep track of my progress which changed very slightly. I’ve used some of the medication as well. I highly recommend it.
PTSD coach is really good. Youper is terrific too. It is a general well-being and mental health support app that isn’t designed specifically clients with PTSD.
I find it interesting that EMDR therapy is not mentioned in this ptsd app?
Is there any potential for developing a version for children? I work in public schools and have several clients who would both benefit from and be able to make excellent use of a smartphone app. Digital natives, as this generation is often called, would be prime candidates for app-supplemented therapy tools like this!
Thanks for sharing this. APPs help a lot for giving meaningful info to patients and families and are good therapeutic help. I have been using a lot the safety plan APP for the suicidal patients. Very useful.
The VA apps are very good and my clients find them helpful. I particularly use Virtual Hope Box and CBT-I.
I have had a quock lopm through the app and I think that it is a valuable tool for those who need ongoing support. It’s not aways possible to access a therapist immediately and having access to the app can bridge you through til you get to a therapist. I will be sharing this app info at a conference on Child Sexual Abuse and its Mitigation. New Zealand.
In my experience expecting PTSD-survivors to voluntarily participate in any experiment would not work because they lack motivation to do anything on their own – especially if it seems meaningless to them. In the beginning of my case, EVERYTHING had to be fixed. It really seemed like a mountain before me. Finding meaning in my predicament really helped me. The first step is always the hardest.
What a terrible generalization.
As someone who experiences PTS, I find your generalization insulting.
I am not a client. I have what I have objectively determined to be one of the most severe, yet amazingly triumphant, cases of PTSD in American medical and psychological records. I have downloaded the app-will take a look. Not a veteran. Gang-affiliated family/trauma.
Lisa