Improving Veteran Adherence to Treatment for PTSD Through Partnering With Families

January 31, 2024 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development
Evidence-based psychotherapies (EBP) for PTSD, such as Prolonged Exposure (PE), result in clinically significant symptom relief for many. Yet, adherence to this treatment (i.e., session attendance and homework compliance), which is vital to ensuring recovery, can be poor. This project will test the effectiveness of improving family support for PE as a tool to improve Veterans' PE adherence. Reducing rates of dropout from PE will positively impact Veterans' health and well-being and lower the cost of treating PTSD. Additionally, despite congressional legislation and national mandates within VA/DoD for family involvement in PTSD care, there remains no proven strategies for how to routinely include family in traditional individual (i.e., one-on-one) EBPs for PTSD. This proposal will provide the initial test of a model of family engagement that can be translated to other problems faced by Veterans, including suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation, and pain management, contributing to a broader evolution towards evidence-based, family-inclusive care.

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.

Detailed Description

Impacts. This study aims to improve Veterans' adherence to evidence-based treatment for PTSD, through increasing family support for treatment. Improving retention rates in evidence-based PTSD treatment will positively impact Veterans' health and well-being, lower the cost of treating PTSD, and decrease long-term demand for PTSD services. If effective, this approach could help resolve national calls for routine inclusion of family involvement in PTSD treatment. Once demonstrated for PTSD, these strategies could be utilized for other conditions and problems relevant to Veteran populations (e.g., suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation) and stimulate shifts across practice and policy to better routine and evidence-based involvement of families in care.

Background. PTSD occurs in as many as 1 in 5 combat Veterans and is associated with a host of negative, long-term consequences to the individual, their families, and society at large. Evidence-based psychotherapies, such as Prolonged Exposure (PE), result in clinically significant symptom relief for many. Yet, adherence to these treatments (i.e., session attendance and homework compliance), which is vital to ensuring recovery, can be poor. Engaging families in Veterans' treatment may provide a powerful method for promoting EBP adherence. The investigators data indicate that 70% of Veterans express some interest in involving their family in their care for PTSD; yet, only 17% of providers have had any contact with Veterans' families. The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the effectiveness of improving family support as a tool to improve Veterans' EBP adherence. This research agenda directly addresses two VA HSR&D priorities:

  • innovative mental health care;
  • improving the quality of life for Veterans and their caregivers. The work aligns with the VHA Blueprint for Excellence and Strategic Plan through meeting the unique needs of military-service disabled Veterans, providing a novel treatment approach, and emphasizing patient- and family-centered care.

Objectives/Aims. Aim 1: To improve Veterans' adherence to PE through engaging families in care.

H1: Veterans randomized to family supported PE will attend more sessions (H1a) and report greater homework compliance (H1b) than Veterans randomized to standard PE delivered in routine care.

Aim 2: To improve the clinical outcomes of Veterans receiving PE through engaging families in care.

H2: Family supported PE will be more effective than standard PE in reducing PTSD severity and comorbid problems (depression, quality of life, relationship functioning) from baseline to posttreatment.

Aim 3: To examine barriers/facilitators of implementing family support for PE. Exploratory Aim: To identify mechanisms underlying adherence differences between treatment conditions.

The investigators will explore if adherence differences are mediated by changes on key social influence variables (family perceptions of treatment credibility, family support for PE, and family symptom accommodation).

Methods. The investigators are proposing a practical randomized controlled trial to compare Veteran adherence, and to PE with and without family attendance at PE's educational sessions, with the ultimate goal to improve Veterans' clinical outcomes. For Aim 3, the investigators will use a concurrent process evaluation to identify potential implementation facilitators and barriers to family involvement in PE within VA. Participants will include Veterans with clinically significant symptoms of PTSD across three sites, plus a family member or friend of the Veteran. Aim 1 outcome variables include session attendance and homework compliance. Aim 2 outcomes include PTSD symptom severity, depression, quality of life, and relationship functioning, measured monthly over the course of treatment. Key social influences (Exploratory Aim) will be assessed through brief weekly self-reports.

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.
128

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

  • United States
    • Georgia
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30033
        • Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48105
        • VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417
        • Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

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 and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Male or female veterans at least 18 years old. Recruitment is limited to Veterans enrolled in VHA care.
  2. Participant meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD or subthreshold PTSD. Consistent with recommendations, subthreshold PTSD will be defined as endorsement of criteria A (trauma), F (duration), and G (impairment), with at least one symptom from each of the remaining diagnostic criteria (Brancu et al., 2016).
  3. Has an intimate partner, family member, or friend with whom they have contact with at least 3 times a week
  4. Willing to allow this person to participate in the study.
  5. Provides informed consent.
  6. Speaks and reads English.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Current suicidal or homicidal ideation with intent and/or plan.
  2. Meets DSM-5 criteria for a manic of psychotic episode in the past 3 months.
  3. Meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a severe substance use disorder in the past 3 months. Of note, subjects can be abusing or dependent upon nicotine or marijuana and still be included in the study.
  4. Moderate relationship violence between the identified support person and the Veteran, defined as one or more episodes of severe violence in the past year (e.g., punched, kicked, or beat up).
  5. Support person screens positive for PTSD on a self-report instrument (PCL).
  6. Having an ongoing medical condition that would interfere with ability to attend weekly treatment sessions.
  7. Having any planned upcoming major medical procedures over the next several months that would interfere with ability to attend weekly treatment sessions.
  8. Veteran and/or SP fails to complete baseline survey
  9. Episode of mania/psychosis in past 3 months

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: Single

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: Family Supported Prolonged Exposure
The investigators propose to bring a family member into early educational sessions of PE, one of the most researched and efficacious treatments for PTSD, to increase family support for PE adherence. Strategies for how to engage with families are drawn from existing evidence-based approaches, including Motivational Interviewing and Behavioral Couples Therapy.
Behavioral: Family Supported Prolonged Exposure
The investigators propose to bring a family member into early educational sessions of PE, one of the most researched and efficacious treatments for PTSD, to increase family support for PE adherence. Strategies for how to engage with families are drawn from existing evidence-based approaches, including Motivational Interviewing and Behavioral Couples Therapy.
Active Comparator: Standard Prolonged Exposure
Standard Prolonged Exposure for PTSD as delivered in routine VA care.
Behavioral: Standard Prolonged Exposure
Standard Prolonged Exposure for PTSD as delivered in routine VA care.

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Session Attendance
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Number of treatment sessions attended by the participant
16 weeks

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
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Time Frame: 16 weeks
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Range of scale is 0-80 and can be obtained by summing the scores for each of the 20 items. Higher scores indicate higher PTSD symptom levels.
16 weeks

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.
VA Office of Research and Development

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: Laura A. Meis, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

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.
January 15, 2018

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 30, 2022

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 30, 2022

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).
August 9, 2017

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.
August 16, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

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.
August 21, 2017

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.
June 14, 2024

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.
January 31, 2024

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.
January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • IIR 15-322

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

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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