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A Theory of Planned Behavior Scale for Adherence to Trauma‐Focused Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatments
Author(s) -
Meis Laura A.,
Noorbaloochi Siamak,
Hagel Campbell Emily M.,
Erickson Emily P. G.,
Velasquez Tina L.,
Leverty David M.,
Thompson Katie,
Erbes Christopher
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.22620
Subject(s) - cognitive processing therapy , psychology , clinical psychology , veterans affairs , psychological intervention , discriminant validity , posttraumatic stress , theory of planned behavior , exposure therapy , attendance , psychiatry , cognitive behavioral therapy , cognition , psychotherapist , psychometrics , medicine , control (management) , anxiety , economics , internal consistency , management , economic growth
Evidence‐based psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure (CPT/PE), greatly reduce suffering for veterans, but many veterans fail to complete treatment. Developing a theory‐based understanding of adherence is necessary to inform interventions to improve treatment retention. We developed and tested a series of scales applying the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to CPT/PE adherence. The scales were administered in mailed surveys as part of a larger mixed‐methods study of veteran adherence to PE/CPT. Surveys were sent to 379 veterans who were initiating CPT/PE across four U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and 207 of their loved ones. Subsequent session attendance and homework compliance were coded via a review of electronic medical records. We examined item‐level characteristics, factor structure, and the convergent and discriminant validity of the resultant scales. The findings support four subscales: two related to attitudes (i.e., Treatment Makes Sense and Treatment Fits Needs), one related to perceived behavioral control over participation (i.e., Participation Control), and one related to perceived family attitudes about CPT/PE participation (i.e., Subjective Norms). Scale validity was supported through significant associations with theoretically relevant constructs, including intentions to persist in CPT/PE, r s = .19–.38; treatment completion, r s = .21–.25; practical treatment barriers, r s = −.19 to −.24; and therapeutic alliance, r s = .39–.57.