Therapeutic Effects of the Processing of Positive Memories Technique on Posttrauma Health (PPMT)

November 6, 2024 updated by: University of North Texas, Denton, TX

Daily Affect and Cognition Impacts of Processing of Positive Memories Technique (PPMT) in a Trauma-Exposed Community Sample

The current study will examine daily-level impacts of a technique addressing positive memory retrieval on thoughts, feelings, and health among individuals with trauma experiences.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is primarily a memory encoding- and retrieval-based disorder. If untreated, there are significant physical, psychological, social, and economic impacts for an individual, their families, and the society broadly. Research demonstrates that positive memory processes contribute to the etiology and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Indeed, difficulties in retrieving and discussing positive memories are amplified among individuals with PTSD. Further, interventions capitalizing on (positive) memory retrieval have been linked to enhanced psychological well-being.

Considering this literature, the Processing of Positive Memories Technique (PPMT) was developed as a promising new treatment approach for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which involves detailed narration and processing of specific positive autobiographical memories. This study uses an innovative research protocol that combines case-series design and daily diary approaches to the effects of PPMT on daily affect, daily cognitions, and daily PTSD symptoms. It is hypothesized that at the daily level, in comparison to their an individual's pre-PPMT levels, following the PPMT intervention, participants will report (1) a lower count of endorsed daily PTSD symptoms, (2) increases in daily positive affect and decreases in daily negative affect, (3) increases in positive affect reactivity to daily positive events, and (4) decreases in daily posttrauma cognitions.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

70

Phase

  • 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
    • Texas
      • Denton, Texas, United States, 76201
        • University of North Texas

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • being aged between 18 and 65 years
  • endorsing a trauma with posttrauma symptoms
  • access to an electronic device with internet capabilities
  • working knowledge of English
  • being a current resident of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex
  • willingness and availability to participate in approximately 10 weeks of this study (including 4 therapy sessions)
  • willingness to be video-recorded during sessions for quality control purposes

Exclusion Criteria:

  • active suicidal plan, suicidal attempt, homicidal plan, or homicidal attempt (past 3 months including current)
  • currently in therapy with a mental health provider

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Processing of Positive Memories Technique
PPMT was administered as a 4-session protocol in this arm.
Behavioral: Processing of Positive Memories Technique
PPMT was administered weekly as a 4-session protocol. In session 1, participants receive psychoeducation on PTSD symptoms, an overview of PPMT, and are assessed for psychological symptoms. Sessions 1-4 involve the detailed processing of a salient positive autobiographical memory to elicit "values, affect, strengths, and thoughts" related to that positive memory. Homework assignments include listening to an audio recording of that memory, completing a "values, affect, strengths, and thoughts" log, and engaging in a behavioral activity. In session 4, the therapist also reviews psychological symptoms and addresses termination.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Daily negative and positive affect levels
Time Frame: Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Daily Positive and Negative Affect are assessed by rating the extent of four positive (excited, cheerful, satisfied, relaxed) and six negative (stressed, irritated, anxious, sad, hopeless, insecure) emotions. This is adapted from the 20-item Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The total positive affect subscale score can range from 1 to 20, with higher scores reflecting more positive affect levels. The total negative affect subscale score can range from 1 to 30, with higher scores reflecting more negative affect.
Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Daily positive events
Time Frame: Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Daily positive events is measured by 1 item which asked participants to think about the most positive event of the day and rate how pleasant it was. The score can range from 1 to 4, with higher scores reflecting that the event was more pleasant.
Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Daily posttrauma cognitions
Time Frame: Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
A 9-item brief version of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI-9) will measure trauma-related thoughts/beliefs with the time frame modified to 'in the last 24 hours.' The total raw score can range from 1 to 63, with higher scores reflecting endorsement of more negative posttrauma cognitions.
Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Daily PTSD symptoms
Time Frame: Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Daily-life version of the Primary Care-PTSD-5 screen (PC-PTSD-5) will assess daily PTSD symptoms with the time frame modified to 'in the last 24 hours.' The total score can range from 0 to 5, with higher scores reflecting endorsement of more PTSD symptoms.
Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours
Number of retrieved positive memories
Time Frame: Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention
AMT assesses the number of retrieved positive memories by using five cue words followed by a prompt to recall a personally meaningful and specific memory of an event that took place within any 24-hour period. The total score could range from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating more number of retrieved positive memories.
Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention
Number of retrieved positive memories
Time Frame: 1 week after intervention sessions
AMT assesses the number of retrieved positive memories by using five cue words followed by a prompt to recall a personally meaningful and specific memory of an event that took place within any 24-hour period. The total score could range from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating more number of retrieved positive memories.
1 week after intervention sessions

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Positive Emotion Dysregulation
Time Frame: Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention
The Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale-Positive Emotions is a 13-item self-report measure that examines dysregulation of positive emotions. The total score could range from 1 to 65, with higher scores indicating more positive emotion dysregulation.
Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention
Positive Emotion Dysregulation
Time Frame: 1 week after intervention sessions
The Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale-Positive Emotions is a 13-item self-report measure that examines dysregulation of positive emotions. The total score could range from 1 to 65, with higher scores indicating more positive emotion dysregulation.
1 week after intervention sessions
Positive Emotion Dysregulation
Time Frame: At each of the 4 weekly intervention sessions and each survey references the past week
The Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale-Positive Emotions is a 13-item self-report measure that examines dysregulation of positive emotions. The total score could range from 1 to 65, with higher scores indicating more positive emotion dysregulation.
At each of the 4 weekly intervention sessions and each survey references the past week
PTSD symptom severity
Time Frame: Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention
The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that will be used to evaluate PTSD symptom severity in relation to the worst trauma. The total score could range from 0 to 80, with higher scores reflecting more PTSD symptom severity.
Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention
PTSD symptom severity
Time Frame: 1 week after intervention sessions
The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that will be used to evaluate PTSD symptom severity in relation to the worst trauma. The total score could range from 0 to 80, with higher scores reflecting more PTSD symptom severity.
1 week after intervention sessions
PTSD symptom severity
Time Frame: At each of the 4 weekly intervention sessions and each survey references the past week
The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that will be used to evaluate PTSD symptom severity in relation to the worst trauma. The total score could range from 0 to 80, with higher scores reflecting more PTSD symptom severity.
At each of the 4 weekly intervention sessions and each survey references the past week

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of North Texas, Denton, TX

Collaborators

University of Haifa, Israel

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)

March 11, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 5, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

June 5, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 30, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 6, 2024

First Posted (Estimated)

November 8, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

November 8, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 6, 2024

Last Verified

October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IRB-21-420
  • 2020017 (Other Grant/Funding Number: United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

All de-identified IPD will be shared.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

De-identified IPD will be shared in 2029 until 2034.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

De-identified IPD will be stored with limited access in a data repository. Any interested researchers will email the PIs and complete a data sharing contract. If the contract is approved by the PIs, data will be shared in a secure manner.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF

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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