Research studies Non-recruiting studies

Non-recruiting studies

The Atlas Institute’s research studies are designed to ensure that Veterans, their Families, service providers and our research partners have access to the latest evidence. Some of the studies we’re involved in are not open to participants, but we offer summaries and information about each project.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Prescribing patterns

Treatment-resistant PTSD

Lay summary

This study aims to build consensus within clinical practice on how military-related PTSD is assessed and treated, using a three-pronged approach.
First, existing studies on available treatment approaches for military-related PTSD will be reviewed. Their results will be combined to understand relevance and efficacy—whether different treatment approaches work across different groups.
Second, Operational Stress Injury clinics across Canada will be engaged to identify key patterns in how medications are prescribed among clinicians who treat PTSD.
Third, findings will be combined to inform the development of a consensus model to guide more consistent treatment of military-related PTSD, specifically treatment-resistant PTSD.

Scientific summary

Given the prevalence of PTSD in military populations and the heterogeneities in treatment approaches, the MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre is conducting a three-part project toward building consensus in the assessment and treatment of PTSD. The Treatment Resistant PTSD project seeks to: (1) conduct a comprehensive scan of available treatment approaches for military-related PTSD via meta-analysis and systematic review to determine the efficacy and appropriateness of treatments options based on clinical and population characteristics, (2) engage Operational Stress Injury clinics across Canada to identify prescribing patterns and practices of clinicians treating PTSD, and (3) incorporate evidence from both meta-analysis and prescription patterns in developing a consensus model to guide treatment of military-related PTSD, with particular emphasis on treatment-resistant PTSD.

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Led by The MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre at the Lawson Health Research Institute In Partnership With Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families

Moral resilience

Factors that support resilience and well-being in elite military cultures

Lay summary

Why are individuals affected differently by a traumatic event? Research into that question usually focuses on the qualities of the individual, the event itself, and the psychological and physiological response to that threat or violence. This approach does not consider how an individual’s experience of war and other operational events can be shaped by the people around them, and how tightly bonded groups can support each other to recover or rebound more quickly from the effects of trauma.
This research project will focus on how the culture of elite military units may impact the resilience and well-being of its members. The goal is to understand the personal experiences of these elite military personnel by hearing, in their own words, how they maintain their well-being.
We will be seeking to understand the context of that culture, including how harm can be reduced in the group when traumatic events are encountered and how the group itself affects performance and resiliency.

Scientific summary

What one person compared to another may experience as a traumatic event is a question that we have usually tried to answer by focusing on individual factors or features of the index events. Yet, by reducing the problem of psychological injury to a psychological response to threat or violence, we risk losing sight of important contextual factors that can affect how war and other operational events are experienced, and what makes healing and recovery more accessible for some than for others. The goal of this qualitative research project is to interview representatives from elite military units to understand, in their own words, the culture and context in which resiliency and well-being is negotiated and maintained within their service units. Understanding the impacts of culture and context on personal experience in these units may offer insights into ways to mitigate culturogenic harms that arise when group belonging is thwarted by stigma or performance-affecting injury, while maintaining the functional aspects of these cultures that support operational capacity.

Lay summary

Why are individuals affected differently by a traumatic event? Research into that question usually focuses on the qualities of the individual, the event itself, and the psychological and physiological response to that threat or violence. This approach does not consider how an individual’s experience of war and other operational events can be shaped by the people around them, and how tightly bonded groups can support each other to recover or rebound more quickly from the effects of trauma.
This research project will focus on how the culture of elite military units may impact the resilience and well-being of its members. The goal is to understand the personal experiences of these elite military personnel by hearing, in their own words, how they maintain their well-being.
We will be seeking to understand the context of that culture, including how harm can be reduced in the group when traumatic events are encountered and how the group itself affects performance and resiliency.

Scientific summary

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Led by The Men’s Initiative for Health, Integrity and Wellbeing Society In Partnership With Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families

Moral injury

Moral injury in police members – The role of police chaplains

Lay summary

Evidence shows that moral injury (events that don’t align with or violate one’s moral or ethical beliefs and lead to important emotional responses) can have a range of impacts on mental, social and spiritual well-being. As a result, a holistic approach to moral injury care is needed—one that considers the various ways that moral injury is experienced.
This study will examine the role that police chaplains play in supporting those affected by moral injury.
Police chaplains will be asked how they offer support and care, the intended impacts of their work and any perceived benefits. Police members will be asked about their help-seeking preferences, their experiences receiving support and any perceived benefits or impacts.
The results will serve as a first step toward developing a holistic model of moral injury care.

Scientific summary

In recent years, research into the construct of moral injury has led to an understanding of the breadth of potential psychological, social and spiritual outcomes. It follows that the approach to addressing moral injury should be similarly broad. As a first step toward developing a holistic model of moral injury care, this research will investigate the role of police chaplains in addressing moral injury, through qualitative interviews with police chaplains as well as police members. The scope of interviews with chaplains will include their approach to intervention, intended outcomes and perceived benefits. The scope of interviews with police members will include their preferences for seeking support (e.g, mental health, chaplaincy, other), their experiences of the support they have received and outcomes.

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Led by Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Health In Partnership With Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families

Sleep Telehealth

Transdiagnostic sleep intervention for Veterans delivered by Telehealth (TIRED)

Lay summary

Transdiagnostic sleep and circadian Intervention (TranS-C) is a treatment used to treat sleep difficulties, but little is known about the use of this intervention in Veterans and first responders.
This trial aims to examine whether TranS-C, when delivered through telehealth, can help to reduce sleep issues and improve general functioning and well-being in Veterans. The group being tested are Veterans and first responders living with a diagnosable sleep condition(s) in Victoria, Australia.
Participants will be randomly divided into two groups: one receiving the TranS-C intervention immediately and the other at a later point.
Researchers will collect information from participants at three time points using a variety of tools. This includes data related to sleep quality, presence of sleep disorder, as well as symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety. Participants will also be asked about their satisfaction with the TranS-C intervention and telehealth delivery to better understand how feasible the intervention is for this group.
The data will be used to determine the effectiveness of TranS-C. The results of the study will be useful for understanding treatment options for sleep difficulties in Veterans and first responders. The TIRED trial is registered with the Australian Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12621000433808).

Scientific summary

The TIRED trial is a pilot randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a telehealth-delivered novel treatment for sleep disorders called transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention (TranS-C). The trial will examine whether TranS-C treatment delivered via telehealth by a qualified mental health clinician can effectively reduce sleep disorder symptoms and improve functioning and well-being. The trial will recruit Veterans and first responders with a diagnosable sleep disorder(s) who live in Victoria, Australia. Eligible participants are randomly allocated into one of the two conditions: (1) an immediate Trans-C treatment group, or (2) a delayed TranS-C treatment/wait-list group. The immediate treatment group will receive between four and ten weekly TranS-C treatment sessions, which run for 50 minutes each. Participants will be assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up. The primary outcome is sleep quality assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Presence of a sleep disorder is also assessed using structured clinical interview for DSM V-Sleep Disorders (SCID-SD). As part of the TranS-C treatment, participants are asked to complete measures of subjective sleep quality using a sleep diary delivered via a purpose-designed smartphone app. Wristwatch-based actigraphy is also employed to collect objective sleep quality measurements via movement detection using an inbuilt accelerometer. A number of secondary outcomes will also be assessed including severity of PTSD symptoms (PCL-5), depression symptoms (PHQ), and anxiety symptoms (GAD). Finally, the feasibility of delivering the TranS-C intervention via telehealth will be assessed using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8), and satisfaction with telehealth will be assessed using the Teleneuropsychology Patient Experience Survey (TPES). The TIRED trial has been registered with Australian Clinical Trial Registry under the following registration number ACTRN12621000433808.

Lay summary

Transdiagnostic sleep and circadian Intervention (TranS-C) is a treatment used to treat sleep difficulties, but little is known about the use of this intervention in Veterans and first responders.
This trial aims to examine whether TranS-C, when delivered through telehealth, can help to reduce sleep issues and improve general functioning and well-being in Veterans. The group being tested are Veterans and first responders living with a diagnosable sleep condition(s) in Victoria, Australia.
Participants will be randomly divided into two groups: one receiving the TranS-C intervention immediately and the other at a later point.
Researchers will collect information from participants at three time points using a variety of tools. This includes data related to sleep quality, presence of sleep disorder, as well as symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety. Participants will also be asked about their satisfaction with the TranS-C intervention and telehealth delivery to better understand how feasible the intervention is for this group.
The data will be used to determine the effectiveness of TranS-C. The results of the study will be useful for understanding treatment options for sleep difficulties in Veterans and first responders. The TIRED trial is registered with the Australian Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12621000433808).

Scientific summary

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Led by Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Health In Partnership With Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families

COVID-19 Moral distress

Well-being of Veterans and their spouses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Lay summary

The purpose of this project is to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of Veterans and their spouses over time through an online national survey. In addition, the project aims to understand the potential long-lasting impact of COVID-19 on Veterans and their spouses.

Scientific summary

The exponential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has created an unprecedented global emergency that may lead to significant psychological distress among those already vulnerable for mental illnesses, such as Veterans and their spouses. This study will examine the health and well-being of Veterans and their spouses during the COVID-19 pandemic using online surveys. One thousand Veterans and 250 spouses will be recruited from across Canada to complete a series of online questionnaires pertaining to psychological, social/familial, and physical well-being dimensions, as well as lifestyle and health care changes due to the pandemic. The online surveys will be administered at baseline and every three months for a total of 18 months. We expect that this initiative will elucidate the psychological effects of the pandemic on Veterans and their spouses, and the impact of health service changes for those receiving health care treatments. Understanding the trajectories, risk, resilience factors and other situational factors that impact well-being may highlight opportunities for implementing additional supports and interventions.

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Led by The MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre at the Lawson Health Research Institute In Partnership With Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families

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