Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST)

August 1, 2024 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST) to Improve Recovery From mTBI

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is among the most common injuries sustained by Veterans of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. It is also highly co-morbid with mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. While mTBI alone is not typically thought to cause lasting deficits in personal functioning or cognitive abilities, Veterans with a history of mTBI nonetheless report chronic psychological distress, as well as subjective difficulties with attention, concentration, poor frustration tolerance, and decision-making. Although current clinical practice guidelines for mTBI emphasize primary care-based symptom management, there are presently no evidence-based interventions to treat mental health symptoms in this setting. This research proposal therefore seeks to adapt and pilot test a brief, primary care-based intervention (E-PST) to reduce psychological distress in Veterans with mTBI by augmenting problem-solving skills, and helping them to develop specific cognitive and behavioral skills to improve upon their self-reported cognitive inefficiencies. The investigators hypothesize that Veterans who complete E-PST will report improvements in psychological distress compared to participants in the control condition.

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

Open Trial: The primary focus of the open trial is to gather feasibility and acceptability data from up to 12 participants, though clinical effect will also be evaluated using select measures outlined below. Feasibility metrics will be internally monitored. Participant feedback on the acceptability of E-PST will be gathered following each treatment session. Qualitative data will be analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis. Given the small sample, clinical effect will be descriptively explored. Individual line graphs of pre-post Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) scores will be generated, and mean differences in BSI-18 scores will be compared. Trends in change scores will be visually inspected to evaluate evidence of a preliminary clinical effect.

Randomized Trial: The focus of the randomized trial is threefold: a) to estimate a preliminary effect size for the primary outcome measure (BSI-18); b) determine the feasibility of the assessment plan; and c) establish feasibility of recruitment and retention in order to guide the design of a future multi-site efficacy trial. BSI-18 data will be described with means, standard deviations, and confidence intervals at each time point and condition. To show central tendency, variation and potential trends over time, means and 95% confidence intervals will be plotted across time for each condition. To assist in developing a larger trial, an effect size will be calculated at post-treatment to describe the standardized difference between conditions. All participants who are randomized and complete a baseline assessment will be included in our analysis. Evaluation of measurement feasibility will focus primarily on descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies of missing/ incomplete measures). Recruitment and retention over the study duration will be plotted based on the number of participants enrolled into the study and compared to the anticipated rate of recruitment. Veteran feedback on the acceptability of E-PST and treatment satisfaction will be analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis.

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.
50

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
    • New York
      • Buffalo, New York, United States, 14215-1129
        • VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY

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:

  • OEF/OIF/OND Veteran
  • history of mild Traumatic Brain Injury and persistent post-concussion-like symptoms of 3 months
  • Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) T-score > 53
  • enrolled in VA primary care (appointment within last 12 months)
  • English speaking, able to read and write, and able to comprehend study materials

Exclusion Criteria:

  • prior, current, or pending enrollment in a cognitive rehabilitation program or other specific TBI intervention program
  • moderate to severe TBI or other major neurocognitive disorder
  • psychotic disorder, e.g.: schizophrenia spectrum disorder, delusional disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, bipolar or depressive disorder with psychotic features
  • acute suicidal ideation
  • inpatient psychiatric hospitalization within the past 12 months
  • any other illness or condition that would preclude or predictably influence ability to travel to, or engage in, study visits, as determined by the study team

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: E-PST (randomized)
Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST) arm. E-PST is a combined treatment that is comprised of brief problem-solving training and compensatory cognitive skills training. Randomized participants were assigned 1:1 to E-PST or HLM.
Behavioral: Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST)
E-PST is a combined treatment that is comprised of brief problem-solving training and compensatory cognitive skills training. Randomized participants were assigned 1:1 to E-PST or HLM.
Other Names:
  • Problem-Solving Training for Concussion (PST-Concussion)
Active Comparator: Control (randomized)
Healthy Living Messages (Control) arm. Healthy Living Messages (HLM) are primary care-congruent messages that consist of simple advice regarding general health behaviors and preventive care. Randomized participants were assigned 1:1 to E-PST or HLM.
Behavioral: Healthy Living Messages (HLM)
Healthy Living Messages are primary care-congruent messages that consist of simple advice regarding general health behaviors and preventive care. Randomized participants were assigned 1:1 to E-PST or HLM.
Other Names:
  • Control
Other: E-PST (non-randomized)
Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST) arm. E-PST is a combined treatment that is comprised of brief problem-solving training and compensatory cognitive skills training. Non-randomized participants were assigned to E-PST only.
Behavioral: Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST) (non-randomized)
E-PST is a combined treatment that is comprised of brief problem-solving training and compensatory cognitive skills training. Non-randomized participants were assigned to E-PST only.
Other Names:
  • Problem-Solving Training for Concussion (PST-Concussion)

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
Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) Global Severity Index T-Score
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
The BSI-18 is a brief measure of psychological distress brought about by common somatic and affective symptoms. It has been validated for use in patients with history of TBI and is appropriate for use in primary care. Similar to a previous trial of PST for mTBI, its Global Severity Index (GSI) T-score will serve as the primary outcome measure. The T-score indicates the number of standard deviations away from the mean. A T-score of 50 is equal to the mean of a reference population (i.e., healthy, sex-matched individuals) with a standard deviation of 10. GSI T-scores range from 30-80, with lower scores signaling an overall lower level of psychological distress.
Up to 24 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
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 9-item measure of cognitive, affective, and somatic depressive symptoms validated for use in primary care. Scores range from 0 to 27, with lower scores signaling lower mood symptoms.
Up to 24 weeks
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL5)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 20-item measure of DSM-5 symptoms related to trauma, organized over re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, and cognitive/mood domains. Score range from 0-80, with lower scores signaling less severe PTSD symptoms.
Up to 24 weeks
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption Questions (AUDIT-C)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 3-item measure of the frequency and severity of alcohol intake over the past year. Scores range from 0 to 12, with lower scores signaling less overall alcohol consumption.
Up to 24 weeks
Brief Addictions Monitor-Revised (BAM-R)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 17-item measure of substance misuse and associated functional impairment. The Use subscale score ranges from 0-12, with lower scores signaling no (0) or relatively lower substance use.
Up to 24 weeks
Pain Symptom Survey (PEG)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 3-item pain assessment that has been validated for use in VA patients. Respondents are asked to report their average level of pain, the average impact of pain on their ability to enjoy life, and the average level of interference on daily activities on a scale of 0 to 10. Ratings on each domain are averaged to calculate a composite score, which ranges from 0 to 10, with lower scores signaling lower overall pain.
Up to 24 weeks
World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 26-item abbreviated version of the full-length WHOQOL measure that evaluates disability and quality of life in domains such as social relationships, physical and mental health, and satisfaction with person-environment interactions. Raw scores are averaged to compute domain scores (range = 4-20), with higher scores signaling an overall higher quality of life.
Up to 24 weeks
Applied Cognition-General Concerns-Short Form (ACGC-8a)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
An 8-item checklist of general cognitive concerns over the past week. Items were generated and validated as part of the National Institute of Health's Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Raw scores are converted to T-scores (range = 23.3-62.7), with higher scores signaling relatively fewer cognitive concerns. The T-score indicates the number of standard deviations away from the mean. A T-score of 50 is equal to the mean of a reference population (i.e., healthy individuals) with a standard deviation of 10.
Up to 24 weeks
Applied Cognition-Abilities-Short Form (ACA-8a)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
An 8-item checklist of self-perceived cognitive abilities over the past week, developed as part of the National Institute of Health's Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Raw scores are converted to T-scores (range = 27-64.8) with higher scores signaling higher perceived cognitive abilities. The T-score indicates the number of standard deviations away from the mean. A T-score of 50 is equal to the mean of a reference population (i.e., healthy individuals) with a standard deviation of 10.
Up to 24 weeks
Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A brief test of verbal learning, recall, and recognition. Participants are read a word list over 3 learning trials, and are asked to recall as many words as possible after a 25-minute delay. Raw scores are converted to T-scores (range = 20 to 80), with higher scores signaling better verbal memory performance. The T-score indicates the number of standard deviations away from the mean. A T-score of 50 is equal to the mean of a reference population (i.e., healthy, age-matched individuals) with a standard deviation of 10.
Up to 24 weeks
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Digit Span
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A brief verbal attention test. Participants are presented with a sequence of digits and asked to repeat them forward and backward. Raw scores are converted to scaled scores (range = 1-19) with corresponding percentile ranks (range = 1 to 99); higher scaled scores and percentile ranks signal better overall performance.
Up to 24 weeks
Patient Global Impressions of Change (PGIC)
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 7-point single-item rating scale that asks patients to rate their overall impression of response to treatment. Ratings range from "no change" to "a great deal better." Ratings range from 0 to 7, with higher ratings signaling greater perceived change in response to treatment. Because ratings are only collected after receiving a given treatment, baseline values are not collected.
Up to 24 weeks

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory
Time Frame: Up to 24 weeks
A 22-item checklist of affective, cognitive, and somatosensory symptoms commonly reported after concussion. Scores range from0 to 88, with lower scores signaling lower overall symptom reports.
Up to 24 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: Paul R. King, PhD, VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY

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.
October 1, 2019

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 7, 2023

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 7, 2023

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).
November 28, 2018

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.
November 28, 2018

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.
November 29, 2018

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.
August 27, 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.
August 1, 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.
August 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.
  • D2796-W
  • RX002796 (Other Grant/Funding Number: VA Rehabilitation Research & Development (RR&D))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Final data sets underlying all publications resulting from the proposed research will be shared outside VA. A Limited Dataset (LDS) will be created and shared pursuant to a Data Use Agreement (DUA) appropriately limiting use of the dataset and prohibiting the recipient from identifying or re-identifying (or taking steps to identify or re-identify) any individual whose data are included in the dataset.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Requests will be considered beginning 6 months after final publication.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Limited datasets in machine-readable electronic format will be created and shared pursuant to a Data Use Agreement (DUA). Appropriate use of the electronic dataset will be specified, as will prohibitions against identifying or re-identifying (i.e., taking steps to identify or re-identify) any individual whose data are included in the dataset.

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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