Early Intervention Following Sexual Assault

May 7, 2026 updated by: Medical University of South Carolina

Integrated Early Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Sexual Assault

This study is for women who have experienced a sexual assault in the past six weeks and use alcohol. The research involves completing a five week behavioral treatment for stress and alcohol use. Participants will complete surveys during visits. Participants may also be asked to complete brief daily assessments on their smart phones.

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

The primary objective of the proposed Stage IA/IB study is to establish feasibility of an integrated cognitive-behavioral intervention for reducing alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among women who experienced a sexual assault within the past six weeks. The intervention will be tested in an open label trial to make final modifications to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the five to six week integrated intervention with standardized repeated measures during a one-month follow-up. Next, a pilot randomized controlled trial will be conducted among 54 recent sexual assault victims to evaluate feasibility and preliminary efficacy in reducing AUD severity and PTSD symptoms. Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) will be used to assess alcohol use, craving, and affect during the five-week treatment phase.

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.
60

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Christine K Hahn, PhD
  • Phone Number: 262 297 2979
  • Email: hahnc@musc.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Sudie Back, PhD
  • Phone Number: 843-792-9383
  • Email: backs@musc.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • South Carolina
      • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425
        • Medical University of South Carolina

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female; any race or ethnicity; age 18 to 65 years old.
  • Sexual assault that occurred within the past 12 months.
  • Subjects must be able to comprehend English.
  • A score of 3 or greater on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) screen.
  • A score of 31 or greater on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5). Subjects may also meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder, previous history of posttraumatic stress disorder, mood disorder (except bipolar affective disorder, see Exclusion Criteria) or other anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder). The inclusion of subjects with affective and other anxiety disorders is essential because of the marked frequency of the co-existence of mood and other anxiety disorders among patients with AUD and PTSD (Norman et al., 2018; Zinzow et al., 2012). Subjects may meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for another substance use disorder if AUD is the primary substance of choice.
  • Must consent to complete all treatment and follow-up visits.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Lack of any memory of the sexual assault
  • Subjects meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for a history of or current psychotic, bipolar, dissociative identify disorder, or a current eating disorder, as the study protocol may be therapeutically insufficient.
  • Subjects experiencing significant withdrawal symptoms, as evidence by a score of 10 or more on the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol (CIWA). These subjects will be referred for clinical detoxification and may be re-assessed for study eligibility after medically supervised detoxification has been completed.
  • Individuals considered an immediate suicide risk, with current suicidal ideation and intent.
  • Individuals who attempted suicide in the past month. These individuals will be referred directly for treatment.
  • Individuals on psychotropic medications must be stabilized on it for at least two weeks prior to beginning the study.
  • Any other medical or psychiatric conditions that the investigators believe may compromise the individual's ability to safely participate in the study.

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.
Active Comparator: Written Exposure Therapy
Behavioral: Written Exposure Therapy
Participants will receive 5 to 6 weeks of written exposure therapy, which involves writing about their experience of sexual assault for 30 minutes.
Experimental: Written Exposure Therapy Integrated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder
Behavioral: Written Exposure Therapy Integrated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder
Participants will receive 5 to 6 weeks of an integrated behavioral therapy that address posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder. Sessions will be 60 minutes in length. It will include written exposure therapy, which involves writing about their experience of sexual assault for 30 minutes. In addition, they will receive 20 minutes of intervention focused on cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder which involves learning skills to cope with alcohol cravings and behavior (e.g., challenging thoughts, problem solving).

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
Change in Percent Drinking Days on The Time Line Follow-Back
Time Frame: Participants will report on drinking during the 30 days prior to initiation of the study, and every day until study completion completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
The Time Line Follow Back (TLFB) will be used to assess heavy drinking in the past 30-days. This calendar-assisted interview yielded estimates in terms of the number of standard drinks consumed daily in the past 30 days used to obtain retrospective self-report of alcohol use by using a calendar and other memory prompts to stimulate recall.
Participants will report on drinking during the 30 days prior to initiation of the study, and every day until study completion completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
Change in number of standard drinks per drinking day on The Time Line Follow-Back
Time Frame: Participants will report on drinking during the 30 days prior to initiation of the study, and ever day until completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
The Time Line Follow Back (TLFB) will be used to assess heavy drinking in the past 30-days and use. This calendar-assisted interview yielded estimates in terms of the number of standard drinks consumed daily in the past 30 days used to obtain retrospective self-report of alcohol use by using a calendar and other memory prompts to stimulate recall.
Participants will report on drinking during the 30 days prior to initiation of the study, and ever day until completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
Change in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms on The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5)
Time Frame: Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
Participants will be asked to complete the 20-item Posttraumatic Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5) to measure traumatic stress symptoms corresponding with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -5 PTSD criteria. Items are rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Extremely) with higher scores indicating greater traumatic stress symptoms. Total scores will be used.
Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
Change in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms on The Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Time Frame: Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
The Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (CAPS-5) is the gold standard in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) assessment. It is a structured 30-minute interview that can be used to diagnosis PTSD. Items focus on symptom presence, onset and duration of symptoms, subjective distress, impact on functioning, and symptom improvement.
Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six 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
Change in Depression Symptoms on The Patient Health Questionnaire-9.
Time Frame: Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 is a widely used self-report measure for attitudes and symptoms of depression. The PHQ-9 includes 9 self-report items. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 to 3. The maximum total score is 27. A total score of 0-4 is considered minimal range, 5-9 is mild, 10-14 is moderate, 15-19 is moderately severe, and 20 or more is severe.
Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
Change in Anxiety Symptoms on The Beck Anxiety Inventory
Time Frame: Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) assesses symptoms of anxiety via 21-item self-report. The BAI reliability discriminates anxiety-disordered from non-anxiety disordered patients and demonstrates excellent convergence with related anxiety scales. The values for each item are summed yielding an overall or total score for all 21 symptoms that can range between 0 and 63 points. A total score of 0 - 7 is interpreted as a "Minimal" level of anxiety; 8 - 15 as "Mild"; 16 - 25 as "Moderate", and; 26 - 63 as "Severe".
Baseline and after completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
Change in Percent Days Using Substances on The Time Line Follow-Back
Time Frame: Participants will report on substance use during the 30 days prior to initiation of the study, and every day until study completion completion of study visits, approximately six weeks.
The Time Line Follow-Back will be used to assess illicit substance use in the past 30-days. This calendar-assisted interview yielded estimates in terms of self-report of substance use by using a calendar and other memory prompts to stimulate recall.
Participants will report on substance use during the 30 days prior to initiation of the study, and every day until study completion completion of study visits, approximately six 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.
Medical University of South Carolina

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.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

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.
December 15, 2020

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.
February 23, 2026

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.
February 23, 2026

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 28, 2020

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.
October 5, 2020

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.
October 9, 2020

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.
May 11, 2026

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.
May 7, 2026

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.
May 1, 2026

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.
  • 00099114
  • 1K23AA028055 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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

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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