Mechanisms Underlying the Efficacy of Prolonged Exposure

Part of paid clinical trials in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sponsor
VA Boston Healthcare System
Study ID
NCT05663151
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 90 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder — BEHAVIORAL
    Participation will occur throughout 17 weeks over 15 separate visits during which 10, 60-minute sessions of PE will take place. Session 1 of PE will focus on psychoeducation. Session 2 of PE will involve a continuation of psychoeducation and rationale for exposure as well as the collaborative construction of the in vivo exposure hierarchy. After session 2, participants will begin homework where they are instructed to confront situations on their hierarchy. Starting in session 3 of PE, participants will begin imaginal exposures to their worst trauma memory. This involves the participant recounting and visualizing the trauma memory aloud with the clinician in the room for 30-40 minutes. The session will end with 15-20 minutes of processing the imaginal exposure. Participants will continue in-session imaginal exposures until the end of treatment. Throughout the treatment, participants will listen to a recording of their imaginal exposure and engage in in vivo exposures daily.

Study Details

The primary objective of this research is to collect pilot data that demonstrates that proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aims of the study are to: (1) examine theoretically informed mechanisms as pre-treatment predictors of PE treatment efficacy, (2) characterize how neural, psychophysiological, and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of PE, and (3) examine proposed mechanisms of change as measures of PE treatment efficacy. This is a longitudinal study of predictors of exposure therapy efficacy that will be conducted within the context of a standard 10 session PE treatment trial, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 1-month follow-up. This data will be used to support a future NIMH and/or VA grant submission.

Key Dates

Start date
Jan 1, 2024
Status verified
Apr 2025
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2027
Completion
Jan 1, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
50 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
    15 participants who meet study inclusion/exclusion criteria will be individually administered a full course of PE during 10, 60 minute-sessions, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5), post-treatment, and a 1-month follow-up.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change from baseline in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) [ Time Frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up. ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
VA Boston Healthcare SystemBostonMassachusetts02116-

Find similar trials in Boston, MA

By condition
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
VA Boston Healthcare System· Boston, MA

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