The Role of Computerized Training in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

September 16, 2019 updated by: Marcella Woud, Ruhr University of Bochum
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a computerized training, "Cognitive Bias Modification" targetting appraisals (CBM-App), can reduce dysfunctional appraisals of trauma in patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), compared to a control condition. Other outcomes measured include symptoms of PTSD and trauma-relevant dysfunctional cognitions. Participants are recruited from inpatients with PTSD admitted to the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Clinic of Ruhr University of Bochum.

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.
80

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.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

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

  • Germany
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, 44791
        • Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Clinic of Ruhr University of Bochum

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 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Primary diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder according to ICD-10 (F43.1), and DSM-5 (as assessed via Clinician Adminstered PTSD Scale for DSM-5)
  • motivated and willing to take part in the study (including questionnaire measures, computer training, filling out questionnaires after discharge)
  • aged 18-60 years, male or female
  • fluent in German

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Substance abuse/ substance dependence currently or in the past six months
  • active suicidal thoughts or intentions
  • psychotic disorder (past or present)
  • learning disability/ intellectual impairment
  • red-green colour blindness

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: Double

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: Intervention
Computerized Cognitive Bias Modification of Appraisals (CBM-App), developed from that used by Woud et al. (2012,2013). The intervention comprises 8 sessions completed over a period of 2 weeks. The training takes place while participants are also receiving specialized inpatient treatment for PTSD at the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Clinic of Ruhr University of Bochum.
Behavioral: Cognitive Bias Modification of Appraisals (CBM-App)
Sham Comparator: Control
Computerized Peripheral Vision Task (PVT), developed from that used by Calkins et al. (2015). The intervention comprises 8 sessions completed over a period of 2 weeks. The training takes place while participants are also receiving specialized inpatient treatment for PTSD at the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Clinic of Ruhr University of Bochum.
Behavioral: Peripheral Vision Task (control condition)

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
Dysfunctional trauma-related appraisals as measured using an open-ended ambiguous scenarios task
Time Frame: Post-intervention (~ 2 weeks post-baseline)
Post-intervention (~ 2 weeks post-baseline)

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dysfunctional trauma-related appraisals as measured using an open-ended ambiguous scenarios task
Time Frame: Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
Post-Traumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI)
Time Frame: Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
The PTCI (Foa et al., 1999) is administered asking participants to report on their experience of post-traumatic cognitions in the previous week.
Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Time Frame: Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
The PCL-5 (Weathers et al., 2013; German version by Ehring, Knaevelsrud, Krüger & Schäfer) is administered asking participants to report on their experience of post-traumatic symptoms in the previous week.
Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
Intrusions Questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
The intrusions questionnaire asks participants to report on the frequency and characteristics of intrusive memories of trauma in the preceding week
Baseline, Mid-intervention (~1 week post-baseline), Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline), End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 6 weeks post-discharge, 3 months post-discharge
Trauma Implicit Associations Test (IAT)
Time Frame: Baseline, Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline)
As developed by Lindgren et al. (2013)
Baseline, Post-intervention (~2 weeks post-baseline)

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Hair Cortisol Concentration
Time Frame: Baseline, End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 3 months post-discharge
Baseline, End of inpatient admission (~6 weeks post-baseline), 3 months post-discharge
Participant Feedback Questionnaire
Time Frame: 3 months post-discharge
3 months post-discharge

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.
Ruhr University of Bochum

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Technische Universität Dresden
Daimler und Benz Stiftung

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.
  • Principal Investigator: Marcella L Woud, PhD, Ruhr University of Bochum

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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.
February 1, 2016

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.
January 1, 2019

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.
May 1, 2019

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).
February 16, 2016

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.
February 16, 2016

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.
February 22, 2016

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 17, 2019

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 16, 2019

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, 2019

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.
  • 32-12/14
  • 204 (Fakultät für Psychologie Ethikkommission, Ruhr University of Bochum)
  • 15-5477 (Other Identifier: Ethik-Kommission der Medizinischen Fakultät, Ruhr University of Bochum)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

It is planned to make individual participant data available on publication of the associated study results, via a publically-available data repository such as Open Science Framework. Data made available will be the research data reported in the publication, with the exception of any data that could compromise participant anonymity.

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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