A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Moral Elevation Intervention for Veterans With PTSD

August 17, 2026 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development
Despite the availability of evidence-based treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are many challenges to successful trauma recovery for Veterans including difficulties starting and completing these treatments and gaps in fully addressing additional important treatment targets including lower social functioning and quality of life. Alternative, stand-alone treatment options that address a range of outcomes and can be easily accessed are needed to expand the reach of PTSD treatment to Veterans. One way to address this need is with a positive psychology intervention called MOVED, which has shown promise in a prior pilot study. MOVED is a web-based, self-guided intervention (8 sessions, 4 weeks) that uses moral elevation-feeling inspired by others' virtuous actions. This clinical trial will test if MOVED leads to decreased PTSD symptoms and increased social functioning and quality of life compared to a generic supportive treatment that does not focus on moral elevation. Results will help determine if MOVED is a useful alternative approach to target trauma recovery among Veterans with PTSD.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

Poor treatment engagement and retention with evidence-based practices (EBPs) are significant problems for Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, Veterans with PTSD also face significant issues with impaired social functioning and diminished quality of life; however, research suggests EBPs may not full address these other important treatment targets despite their ability to reduce PTSD symptoms. These limitations showcase how difficult it is to successfully treat PTSD and highlight the need for novel, stand-alone approaches as alternatives to current treatments that can further facilitate trauma recovery. Accessible and easily disseminated treatments are needed to target ongoing concerns for Veterans including PTSD symptoms, lower QOL, and poor social functioning. One approach that is well-suited to target these issues is a positive psychology-based intervention that focuses on eliciting moral elevation and its benefits. Moral elevation is a positive, emotional state of feeling inspired or moved by witnessing others' virtuous actions, which leads to greater social engagement and self-improvement motives. Moral Elevation Online Intervention for Veterans Experiencing Distress (MOVED) was previously developed as a web-based, self-guided intervention (8 sessions; 4 weeks) and piloted with a sample of Veterans experiencing significant PTSD symptoms and moral injury-related distress. Results from the VA funded pilot trial suggested MOVED was highly feasible and acceptable by Veterans, it demonstrated high levels of treatment engagement, and Veterans reported positive treatment outcomes including large decreases in PTSD symptoms and medium increases in quality of life. Given the promising findings from the MOVED pilot trial, the goal of this proposed study is to proceed with the next phase of treatment development for MOVED by conducting a powered efficacy trial with a sample of Veterans diagnosed with PTSD for at least one year. Following recent adaptations to MOVED that were informed by Veteran feedback from the pilot trial and with input from key stakeholders (researchers, clinicians, and Veterans with PTSD), a refined version of MOVED will be examined with a randomized controlled trial (RCT). This RCT will test the efficacy of MOVED compared to a supportive care control treatment in decreasing PTSD symptom severity, increasing social functioning, and increasing quality of life. The targeted sample will include 250 Veterans who have a PTSD diagnosis for at least one year. Eligible participants will be randomized to the MOVED condition or a supportive care control condition. Both interventions will be self-guided, web-based, and will include 8 sessions lasting 4 weeks. The supportive care control treatment will be a present-centered, nondirective intervention that aims to control for the nonspecific therapeutic effects of supportive care, whereas MOVED will focus on eliciting experiences of moral elevation, guided reflection of those experiences, and facilitating the pursuit of weekly behavioral goals related to experiences of elevation. All participants in both conditions will complete clinician-administered interviews and self-report measures to assess outcomes at baseline, posttreatment, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. Additionally, potential mechanisms of action on treatment outcomes will be assessed at each session including experiences of moral elevation and treatment adherence. Results from this study will indicate whether MOVED is a viable treatment that can reduce PTSD symptoms, boost quality of life, and enhance social functioning; thus, expanding the number of treatment options available for PTSD care.

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 (Estimated)

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.
250

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.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Temple, Texas, United States, 76504-7451
        • Recruiting
        • Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Adam P. McGuire, PhD

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Enrolled in a VISN 17 health care system
  • English-speaking and able to provide written informed consent
  • Willingness to complete study procedures and be randomized
  • Internet access and an electronic device to complete the web-based sessions
  • Current diagnosis of PTSD based on the CAPS-5
  • History of PTSD diagnosis for at least 1 year

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of severe traumatic brain injury indicated by medical record review and the Ohio State Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method (OSU TBI-ID)
  • Current psychosis or mania as indicated by medical record review and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)
  • Current suicide risk based on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)

  • Currently enrolled and actively participating in a trauma-focused treatment including:

    • Cognitive Processing Therapy
    • Prolonged Exposure
    • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

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: MOVED
Moral Elevation Online Intervention for Veterans Experiencing Distress.
Behavioral: MOVED
MOVED includes 8 self-guided, web-based sessions administered over 4 weeks. Web-based sessions include 3 core components: (1) elicit moral elevation, (2) engage in reflection about moral elevation response, and (3) set a behavioral goal that is inspired by the moral elevation exercise.
Other Names:
  • Moral Elevation Online Intervention for Veterans Experiencing Distress
Active Comparator: Supportive Care Control
Present-centered, nondirective intervention
Other: Supportive Care Control
A present-centered, nondirective intervention that aims to control for the nonspecific therapeutic effects of supportive care. In this case, the effects of engaging in regular web-based sessions that convey information about PTSD symptoms. Sessions will include psychoeducation materials about PTSD symptoms, functioning, and resources for dealing with related stressors. Key components of MOVED will be strictly excluded.

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
Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The CAPS-5 is a 30-item structured interview that will be used to assess clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity (range = 0-80).
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The WHOQOL-BREF is a 26-item self-report measure that will be used to assess overall quality of life with 4 domains (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment). Subscales scores are computed by summing all items for each subscale, then all scores are transformed to a range of 0-100. A higher score signifies higher or better quality of life.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The WHODAS 2.0 is a self-report measures of functioning. Two socially-oriented subscales comprised of 13 items total will be used to assess social functioning across the Getting Along and Participation domains. Higher scores indicate greater functioning.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.

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: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that will be used to assess PTSD symptom severity (range 0 = 80). Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
Moral Injury and Distress Scale (MIDS)
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The MIDS is a 24-item self report measure that will be used to assess moral injury distress (range = 0-72). Higher scores indicate greater distress.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
Engagement with Beauty Scale (EBS) - Moral Beauty Subscale
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The EBS is a self-report measure that will be used to assess engagement with moral beauty or trait-level moral elevation. The moral beauty subscale includes 7 items (range = 6-42). Higher scores indicate greater engagement with moral beauty.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
Purpose in Life - Short Form (PIL-SF)
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The PIL-SF is a 4-item self-report measure that will be used to assess perceived meaning and purpose in life (range = 4-28). Higher scores indicate greater purpose in life.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI)
Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.
The PTGI is a 21-item self-report measure that will be used to assess posttraumatic growth (range = 0-105). Higher scores indicate greater posttraumatic growth.
Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months.

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
State Moral Elevation Scale (SMES)
Time Frame: Administered during 8 sessions across 4 weeks
The SMES is a 9-item self-report measure that will be used to assess state-level moral elevation experienced during each session for both conditions (range = 0-36). Higher scores indicate greater moral elevation.
Administered during 8 sessions across 4 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: Adam P. McGuire, PhD, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX

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.
August 10, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
September 30, 2029

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).
January 17, 2025

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.
January 17, 2025

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.
January 23, 2025

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 19, 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.
August 17, 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.
August 1, 2026

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.
  • D5081-R

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

A de-identified, anonymized dataset will be created and shared pursuant to a Data Use Agreement (DUA).

IPD Sharing Time Frame

1 year after publication

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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