Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQs
Why ACT?
Please see our ACTIVATE – ACT Vet page for information on ACT and why we have chosen to use it.
How can I access the application?
To access the application, you start by answering an eligibility questionnaire here, which will determine if the application is right for you.
NICE guidelines – Is ACT recommended for PTSD/gambling?
Although the NICE guidelines do not endorse ACT as a first-line treatment of PTSD, it highlights the long waits and costs of providing trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), while suggesting the need for more research on “less-intensive forms of treatment” that can be undertaken at home. ACT Vet can be used self-directed, without support from healthcare providers, and in the individual’s own environment. Further research on online interventions, like ACT Vet, is required. For further information, please see https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng116/evidence/evidence-review-i-organisation-and-delivery-of-care-for-people-with-ptsd-pdf-6602621013 (Page 148). The guidelines on the treatment and management of harmful gambling is in progress, with publication to be confirmed.
Why a smartphone application?
The idea of developing a smartphone application comes from the need for easily-available help/support for low help-seeking populations, including veterans with co-morbid difficulties such as PTSD and gambling harm. A smartphone application allows individuals to access instant support, in an environment they are comfortable, and without input from healthcare services. Also, digital innovations have cost-saving benefits; ACT Vet is free to use and does not have long waiting lists to access. Although this is not to replace intensive therapies (or other treatments), smartphone applications are great tools in the therapeutic toolbox.
Does Project ACTIVATE have NHS REC approval?
Project ACTIVATE has been approved by Swansea University’s School of Psychology Ethics Committee. As this is a pilot study to test ACT Vet, the research team did not seek NHS Ethical Approval as we aim to collect data on the app’s effectiveness from a wider population of help-seeking veterans, not just those in receipt of NHS services. However, collaboration with NHS services is an idea for future research on using ACT Vet.
What happens if the individual feels in crisis?
ACT Vet has a “Support” tab built-in, the button to access this is available on every screen. This tab provides a number of different organisations and their contact information for the user to reach to in times of crisis. Also, there is the option to contact the research team, where details will be passed to Prof. Dominic Murphy, a clinical psychologist and head of research at Combat Stress. The research team will also track each user’s data for any signs of adverse events. This will be evident by increases, rather than decreases, in scores on psychological and mental health measures provided at each data collection point. In these cases, data will be assessed by Prof. Dominic Murphy and a clinical decision will be made.
What are the rates of gambling and PTSD in military veterans?
Overall, military veterans show higher rates of gambling and are at a higher risk of gambling-related harms compared to the general population (Dighton et al., 2018; Harris et al., 2021). When PTSD and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) are involved, gambling-related harms are further intensified (Dighton et al., 2022). Click the references for the full findings.
