Grant: Foundation Grant

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common (lifetime prevalence of 9.2%), disabling, and costly conditions in Canada. Dr. Monson's proposed research program leverages her internationally-recognized expertise in the development, testing, and implementation of therapies for PTSD to ultimately improve the health of Canadians in a cost-conscious manner. Her visionary program of research advances science and practice by using state-of-the-art methods to enhance accessibility, efficacy, and implementation of PTSD treatment. Regarding treatment accessibility, Dr. Monson will test a newly adapted version of her couple therapy for PTSD that is Internet-delivered and supported by telephone coaching. This eHealth intervention increases access to treatment for PTSD, overcoming the many barriers Canadians with PTSD face (i.e., stigma, geographical dispersion, financial constraints, availability of treatments that work). To enhance treatment efficacy, Dr. Monson is developing a version of her first-line individual PTSD therapy to increase the number of patients who benefit from PTSD treatment. Individuals with PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder represent some of the highest users of healthcare. PTSD treatment may be the necessary ingredient to reduce their symptoms, but they are currently excluded from treatment research due to risky behaviours (e.g., suicidality and self-injury) thought to make PTSD treatment potentially unsafe or difficult to deliver. This line of research includes brain imaging to determine potential neural mechanisms and outcomes of the therapy. Building on a series of grants aimed at translating science into practice, Dr. Monson will continue to test the best methods to train clinicians in the treatments she has developed. To increase access to her training programs across Canada, she plans to test innovative online methods to enhance clinician learning and ultimately improve treatment outcomes for patients with PTSD.