Study: Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic stress designed for non-Swedish speaking immigrants living in Sweden

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the name of the psychological reactions and symptoms that can develop after experiencing an event containing an actual or perceived threat to life, serious injury, sexual violence, directed at you or someone close to you. It's common to be upset by memories of the traumatic event and to want to avoid things that remind you of it. This can make it hard to live the way you want and bring feelings of sadness.

At Karolinska Institutet and the Centre for Psychiatry Research we are conducting a study where we are testing a psychological treatment for PTSD delivered via the Internet.

The treatment is an internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (internet-CBT) treatment for posttraumatic stress (PTSD) specifically designed for immigrants living in Sweden. The goal with the treatment is to reduce PTSD symptoms and increase quality of life.

We want to contribute to the development of a new treatment method being accessible to non-Swedish speaking patients with PTSD, which could be effective and easily accessible.

CBT is well-proven and has been shown in other studies to be effective in treating PTSD.

To participate in the study and the treatment:

You have to be troubled by PTSD and meet the diagnosis criteria for PTSD (assessed by the study team).

You also need to be able to read and understand basic English

You must be 18 years of age

You can be residing anywhere in Sweden, and participation is free of charge. No physical visits are required to take part

How to sign up for the study?

In order to be able to participate in the study, we first carry out psychological assessment to ensure that the treatment is suitable for you.

You read through the participant information on the next page

If you agree to participate after that, you will proceed to a questionnaire about your health and post-traumatic stress.

Answering the questions takes approximately 20 minutes. You must complete all questions in one go for your registration to be submitted to us.

After receiving your expression of interest, you will be called for a phone interview with a psychologist.

How does the treatment work?

We identify behavior patterns that might be good to change to achieve improved mental and physical well-being. CBT treatment is well-established and has shown effectiveness in treating PTSD.

CBT treatment lasts for eight weeks. You work with text material, engage in exercises in your daily life, and maintain continuous online contact with a psychologist.

At the moment there are no more treatment spots available before the summer, but if you're interested in participating, you are welcome to register and we will contact you after the summer.

For questions on your participation:
Maria Bragesjö, licensed psychologist, PhD.
e-mail: maria.bragesjo@ki.se