A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial in Patients Within One Week of Acute Physical Trauma to Test the Feasibility and Effectiveness of AEPET Plus RBT Versus RBT Alone for the Prevention of PTSD and Depression

Background:

The Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre contains one of the largest trauma centers in Canada, treating approximately 1,100 patients annually. Many of these cases typically include unexpected events that can cause severe or life-threatening injuries and at the time patients often experience horror and helplessness and even threat of death. Many of these traumatic injuries are not only physically damaging but psychologically as well. Lower psychological well-being has been reported in trauma survivors, specifically symptoms related to Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Methods:

Patients in trauma units admitted within the previous week will be approached by a trauma team member to see if they are willing to be approached by a Research Assistant (RA). If they agree, an RA will seek permission to screen for eligibility and complete recruitment and the informed consent process. Patients will be recruited if they have a premorbid risk factor for PTSD or if their current trauma resulted in clear memories of it being life threatening and horrifying to them or resulted in dissociation. Participants will be excluded if they were intoxicated at the time of the trauma, they seem cognitively impaired or if they suffered a severe head injury.

After stratified 1:1 randomization to either AEPET plus RBT (n=10-15) or RBT alone (n=10-15) , consenting participants will complete baseline measures and 3 therapy sessions, starting within 1 week post-trauma. Participants will be scheduled for their first 30-60 minute therapy session at consent . Participants will receive two more face-to-face / telephone sessions as close together as possible, followed by completing three questionnaires after the second session.