Treatment Effects of Narrative Exposure Therapy

Phase 2

• Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: Narrative Exposure Therapy

• Registration Number: NCT00660439
• Lead Sponsor: University of Bergen

Brief Summary

This study compares Narrative Exposure Therapy with a Waiting list control group, both consists of traumatized patients with diagnosed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The main aim is to investigate if the patients psychiatric symptoms and levels of the stress hormone cortisol will improve more after Narrative Exposure Therapy than the Waiting list (i.e. no intervention).

Detailed Description

In this study we want to compare Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) to Waiting list controls. Adult patients with diagnosed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder following different types of trauma, will be included. Clinicians in psychiatric outpatient clinics will treat patients with NET, either immediately after assessment, or after a second assessment 3 months later. All patients will also be assessed 1 and 6 months after treatment completion. All patients will be assessed for psychiatric symptoms by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (version 5.0.0) and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Patients will also answer several questionnaires (IES-R, SCL-90, BDI-II, DES and UCL). Baseline level of the stress hormone cortisol will be collected in saliva for measuring the diurnal cycle. We will investigate if patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder will show more symptom improvement with NET than those on the waiting list (i.e. no intervention) in addition to measuring potential differences in cortisol between the groups.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2007-05
• Status Verified: 2008-04
• Study First Submitted: 2008-04-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2008-04-15
• Last Update Submitted: 2008-04-15
• Study First Posted: 2008-04-17
• Last Update Posted: 2008-04-17
• Primary Completion: 2009-12
• Study Completion: 2010-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Age above 18 years
• Understands, speaks and writes Norwegian
• Informed, written consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Active psychosis
• Active suicidality
• Serious self mutilation
• Active alcohol or drug abuse
• Serious dissociative symptoms
• Disease in nervous system or head injury
• Hormonal disease
• Pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
A	Narrative Exposure Therapy	Treatment group, receives Narrative Exposure Therapy immediately after first assessment. Patients are assessed 1 and 6 months after treatment.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Psychiatric symptoms	1 and 6 months after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cortisol in saliva	1 and 6 months after treatment

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Western Norway Violence and Traumatic Stress Resource Centre; 🇳🇴 Bergen, Norway