Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adult Survivors of Early Chronic Interpersonal Trauma

September 11, 2018 updated by: Paul M.G.Emmelkamp, VU University of Amsterdam

Treatment of PTSD in Adult Survivors of Early Chronic Interpersonal Trauma

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) have both been found to be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following single-event traumas and to be more effective than pure anxiety management or stabilization treatments. However, much less is known about the efficacy of the different treatment approaches in survivors of repeated or chronic interpersonal trauma. Recent evidence suggests that a combination of stabilization treatment + TF-CBT is efficacious in this population. Although EMDR is also often used in survivors of chronic interpersonal trauma, evidence on its efficacy are still poor. The aim of the current study is to compare the efficacy of (1) stabilization + TF-CBT and (2) stabilization + EMDR using a randomized controlled trial in a routine clinical setting.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
68

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD
  • having experienced repeated or chronic interpersonal trauma (e.g., sexual or physical abuse)
  • at least 18 years of age
  • having sufficient fluency in Dutch to complete treatment and research protocol
  • participants using prescribed anti-depressant medication are required to be on a stable dose for at least 2 weeks before the beginning of treatment and remain on this dose throughout the treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • psychiatric problems that may interfere with the study participation or that require more intensive care than can be offered in the present study, including dementia, psychotic symptoms, depression with suicidal ideation, full-blown borderline personality disorder, substance dependence
  • current use of tranquilizers

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: STAIR + MPE
A two-phased treatment with Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) in Phase 1 en modified prolonged exposure (MPE) in Phase 2
Behavioral: STAIR
Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation
Behavioral: MPE
Modified prolonged exposure (MPE)
Active Comparator: STAIR + EMDR
a two-phase treatment Phase 1: Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) Phase 2: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Behavioral: STAIR
Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation
Behavioral: EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline) and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Pre- (baseline) and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline) and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up). Before each treatment session
Pre- (baseline) and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up). Before each treatment session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP)
Time Frame: Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))
Pre- (baseline), after the first 8 treatment sessions and post-assessment (after treatment termination) and 3 month follow up (3 month after post assessment and 12 month follow up))

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
VU University of Amsterdam

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Thomas Ehring, PhD, University of Amsterdam
  • Study Chair: Katharina Meyerbröker, University of Amsterdam

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 27, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 28, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 29, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 13, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 11, 2018

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NL31098.097.10

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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