PTSD Treatment and Emotion Regulation Skills Training for Veterans With Military Sexual Trauma (PE+ER)
- Conditions
- Mental DisorderStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticTraumatic Stress DisorderAnxiety Disorders
- Interventions
- Behavioral: PE+ER
- Registration Number
- NCT04792775
- Lead Sponsor
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Brief Summary
Prior research has found that Veterans with military sexual trauma (MST) who have more difficulties with emotion regulation were more likely to drop out of PTSD treatment prematurely. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine whether integrating evidence-based emotion regulation skills training with a scientifically validated treatment for PTSD called Prolonged Exposure (PE), will enhance PTSD treatment retention and 'dose received' and subsequently improve treatment outcomes for MST-related PTSD and difficulties with emotion regulation. Results from this project that examine the feasibility of integrating these two treatments will provide methodological evidence and justification for a randomized control trial, if warranted.
- Detailed Description
The purpose of this study is to learn ways to improve treatments for women with military sexual trauma (MST). The researchers want to learn whether combining evidence-based emotion regulation skills training with a trauma-focused therapy improves treatment outcomes. An evidence-based trauma treatment known as Prolonged Exposure will be used. Emotion regulation skills will also be included in treatment. Veterans with a positive or sub threshold diagnosis of PTSD who experienced a military sexual trauma (MST) will be included. Participants will complete up to twelve 90 minute sessions of PE with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Emotion Regulation Skills Training followed by a post-treatment assessment. All aspects of the project including consent, baseline, treatment and follow-up will be completed either in person or via videoconferencing. Fifteen participants will be enrolled.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 27
- MST-related index event
- Diagnosis of PTSD related to MST assigned on the basis of the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS; Weathers et al., 2013)
- Difficulties with emotion regulation as identified by the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004; although there is no clinical cutoff for the DERS, a total score of 99 is indicative of one standard deviation above average difficulties with emotion regulation for women).
- Having a household member who is already enrolled in the study
- Active psychosis or dementia at screening
- Suicidal ideation with clear intent
- Current moderate to severe Substance Use Disorder
- Concurrent enrollment in a clinical trial for PTSD or depression.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- SINGLE_GROUP
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Prolonged Exposure + Emotion Regulation Skills Training PE+ER Twelve, 90-minute sessions of Prolonged Exposure (PE) with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Emotion Regulation Skills Training.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Clinical Administrated PTSD Scale (CAPS) 13 weeks The Clinician Administered PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder) Scale (CAPS) is a 30-item structured interview that corresponds to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Version (DSM-V) criteria for PTSD. The CAPS can be used to make a current (past month) or lifetime diagnosis of PTSD or to assesses symptoms over the past week. CAPS-5 symptom cluster severity scores are calculated by summing the individual item severity scores for symptoms corresponding to a given DSM-5 cluster: Criterion B (items 1-5); Criterion C (items 6-7); Criterion D (items 8-14); and, Criterion E (items 15-20). A symptom cluster score may also be calculated for dissociation by summing items 19 and 20. Scores range from 0 to 80.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method PTSD Checklist, 5th Version (PCL-5) 13 weeks The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. The PCL-5 has a variety of purposes, including, monitoring symptom change during and after treatment, screening individuals for PTSD, and making a provisional PTSD diagnosis. Description information provided by the National Center for PTSD.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Ralph H. Johnson VAMC
🇺🇸Charleston, South Carolina, United States