Daring to process the trauma: using a web-based training to reduce psychotherapists’ fears and reservations around implementing trauma-focused therapy

Sansen L, Saupe L, Steidl A, Fegert JM, Hoffmann U, Neuner F. Daring to process the trauma: using a web-based training to reduce psychotherapists’ fears and reservations around implementing trauma-focused therapy. European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 2019;10(1): 1696590.Although trauma-focused interventions are the first-line therapies for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they are not frequently used in clinical practice. Factors preventing therapists from applying trauma-focused methods include a lack of training and negative attitudes towards trauma-focused therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate which factors predict willingness to carry out trauma-focused therapy and to examine whether a web-based training is able to reduce negative attitudes and reservations about these interventions. In a wait-list controlled evaluation study, therapists (N = 499) were randomized into an intervention or a wait-list control group. Results show that trauma-treatment specific competencies and overcoming pre-existing concerns towards trauma-focused therapy significantly predict therapists’ willingness to utilize trauma-focused interventions. Thus, the content alignment of the web-based course is appropriate for improving therapists’ willingness to conduct trauma-focused therapy. A retrospective examination of therapists after the training and a comparison of fears and reservations before and after the training demonstrate a significant reduction of fears and reservations. In terms of perceived contraindications, no effects of the web-based training were found. The present study provides compelling evidence that web-based training in evidence-based PTSD therapy is able to reduce reservations that may prevent therapists from applying evidence-based trauma-focused interventions

Development and randomized-controlled evaluation of a web-based training in evidence-based trauma therapy

Although trauma-focused interventions are effective in treating patients with PTSD, they are not frequently used in clinical practice. To address this gap, the present study aimed to develop and evaluate a web-based training for trauma-focused therapy. Our main objective was to increase the knowledge and competencies of current and future licensed psychotherapists in the core procedures that have been identified as efficacious treatment components. The web-based training consists of modules on diagnostics and psychoeducation, disease models, evidence-based interventions, coping with difficulties in therapy, and exercises to promote self-care and mental hygiene. In a wait-list controlled evaluation study, therapists (N = 499) were randomized into either an intervention or a wait-list control group. Knowledge, competencies, self-efficacy expectations, and willingness to conduct trauma-focused therapy were assessed via self-report in both groups before and after training completion. Results indicate a relatively low dropout rate and a high level of satisfaction with the content and structure of the training. In comparison to the wait-list control group, participants who successfully completed the training showed a significantly greater improvement in subjective ratings of knowledge and perceived treatment competence, perceived emotional competence, self-efficacy, and willingness to conduct trauma-focused therapy. They also improved significantly in their results on the knowledge test. In sum, results of this feasibility study suggest that the web-based training is an acceptable program to increase knowledge and competencies in terms of trauma-focused interventions. Further research should focus on evaluating whether the training increases therapists’ competence in terms of objectively-rated clinical skills

Daring to process the trauma : using a web-based training to reduce psychotherapists’ fears and reservations around implementing trauma-focused therapy

Although trauma-focused interventions are the first-line therapies for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they are not frequently used in clinical practice. Factors preventing therapists from applying trauma-focused methods include a lack of training and negative attitudes towards trauma-focused therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate which factors predict willingness to carry out trauma-focused therapy and to examine whether a web-based training is able to reduce negative attitudes and reservations about these interventions. In a wait-list controlled evaluation study, therapists (N = 499) were randomized into an intervention or a wait-list control group. Results show that trauma-treatment specific competencies and overcoming pre-existing concerns towards trauma-focused therapy significantly predict therapists' willingness to utilize trauma-focused interventions. Thus, the content alignment of the web-based course is appropriate for improving therapists' willingness to conduct trauma-focused therapy. A retrospective examination of therapists after the training and a comparison of fears and reservations before and after the training demonstrate a significant reduction of fears and reservations. In terms of perceived contraindications, no effects of the web-based training were found. The present study provides compelling evidence that web-based training in evidence-based PTSD therapy is able to reduce reservations that may prevent therapists from applying evidence-based trauma-focused interventions

Development and Randomized-Controlled Evaluation of a Web-Based Training in Evidence-Based Trauma Therapy

Sansen L, Saupe LB, Steidl A, Fegert JM, Hoffmann U, Neuner F. Development and Randomized-Controlled Evaluation of a Web-Based Training in Evidence-Based Trauma Therapy. PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY-RESEARCH AND PRACTICE. 2020;51(2):115-124.trauma-focused interventions are effective in treating patients with PTSD, they are not frequently used in clinical practice. To address this gap, the present study aimed to develop and evaluate a web-based training for trauma-focused therapy. Our main objective was to increase the knowledge and competencies of current and future licensed psychotherapists in the core procedures that have been identified as efficacious treatment components. The web-based training consists of modules on diagnostics and psychoeducation, disease models, evidence-based interventions, coping with difficulties in therapy, and exercises to promote self-care and mental hygiene. In a waitlist controlled evaluation study, therapists (N = 499) were randomized into either an intervention or a waitlist control group. Knowledge, competencies, self-efficacy expectations, and willingness to conduct trauma-focused therapy were assessed via self-report in both groups before and after training completion. Results indicate a relatively low dropout rate and a high level of satisfaction with the content and structure of the training. In comparison to the waitlist control group, participants who successfully completed the training showed a significantly greater improvement in subjective ratings of knowledge and perceived treatment competence, perceived emotional competence, self-efficacy, and willingness to conduct trauma-focused therapy. They also improved significantly in their results on the knowledge test. In sum, results of this feasibility study suggest that the web-based training is an acceptable program to increase knowledge and competencies in terms of trauma-focused interventions. Further research should focus on evaluating whether the training increases therapists' competence in terms of objectively rated clinical skills

The lncRNA KTN1-AS1 co-regulates a variety of Myc-target genes and enhances proliferation of Burkitt lymphoma cells

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in many normal and oncogenic pathways through a diverse repertoire of transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms. LncRNAs that are under tight regulation of well-known oncogenic transcription factors such as c-Myc (Myc) are likely to be functionally involved in their disease-promoting mechanisms. Myc is a major driver of many subsets of B cell lymphoma and to date remains an undruggable target. We identified three Myc-induced and four Myc-repressed lncRNAs by use of multiple in vitro models of Myc-driven Burkitt lymphoma and detailed analysis of Myc binding profiles. We show that the top Myc-induced lncRNA KTN1-AS1 is strongly upregulated in different types of B cell lymphoma compared to their normal counterparts. We used CRISPR-mediated genome editing to confirm that the direct induction of KTN1-AS1 by Myc is dependent on the presence of a Myc E-box-binding motif. Knockdown of KTN1-AS1 revealed a strong negative effect on the growth of three BL cell lines. Global gene expression analysis upon KTN1-AS1 depletion shows a strong enrichment of key genes in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway as well as co-regulation of many Myc-target genes, including a moderate negative effect on the levels of Myc itself. Our study suggests a critical role for KTN1-AS1 in supporting BL cell growth by mediating co-regulation of a variety of Myc-target genes and co-activating key genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis. Therefore, KTN1-AS1 may represent a putative novel therapeutic target in lymphoma