Cette page a été traduite automatiquement et l'exactitude de la traduction n'est pas garantie. Veuillez vous référer au version anglaise pour un texte source.

NEST: A Group Intervention for Parents With Complex PTSD

13 août 2026 mis à jour par: Joelle Schenkel, St.Gallen University of Applied Sciences

NEST - Nurturing Emotional Safety in Trauma-Affected Parenting: A Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study of a Trauma-Informed Parenting Intervention for Parents With ICD-11 Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn whether NEST, a new trauma-informed group therapy program, is feasible and acceptable for parents with Complex PTSD, a condition that can develop after prolonged or repeated traumatic experiences. Parenting can be especially challenging for people with this condition, and few treatment programs currently address this specific need. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Is the NEST group intervention feasible to deliver and acceptable to parents with Complex PTSD?
  • Do parents' trauma-related symptoms and their experience of the parenting role change from before to after the intervention?

Participants will:

  • Complete online questionnaires about trauma-related symptoms and parenting before the group therapy, after it ends, and again three months later
  • Take part in nine weekly 90-minute group therapy sessions, co-led by a member of the study team and a mental health professional from the treatment site
  • Some participants will additionally be invited to a short interview about their experience with the group therapy

Aperçu de l'étude

Statut

Pas encore de recrutement

Les conditions

Intervention / Traitement

Description détaillée

NEST (Nurturing Emotional Safety in Trauma-Affected Parenting) is a single-arm, multicenter pilot feasibility and acceptability study of a newly developed, manualized trauma-informed parenting group intervention for parents with ICD-11 Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD).

The 9-session group intervention addresses core parenting-related challenges associated with CPTSD, including self-concept and self-efficacy as a parent, emotion regulation within the parent-child relationship, setting boundaries, regulating closeness and distance in the parent-child relationship, and age-appropriate communication with children about the parent's diagnosis. Sessions are trauma-sensitive but not trauma-focused; traumatic memories themselves are not processed within the group. Each group is closed, comprises 6-8 participants, and is co-led by a member of the sponsor's (OST) study team together with a trained psychologist/psychotherapist affiliated with the respective treatment site.

The study is conducted at two clinical sites, the Psychiatric Services Aargau (PDAG) and the Integrated Psychiatry Winterthur (ipw). At each clinical site, the NEST group therapy forms part of participants' regular clinical care and is billed via mandatory health insurance; study-specific procedures are conducted separately by the OST study team. These study-specific procedures consist of self-report questionnaires completed by all participants and a semi-structured qualitative interview completed by a subset of participants after completing the group therapy, to explore their experience of the intervention in greater depth.

Type d'étude

Interventionnel

Inscription (Estimé)

32

Phase

  • N'est pas applicable

Contacts et emplacements

Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.

Coordonnées de l'étude

Sauvegarde des contacts de l'étude

Lieux d'étude

  • Suisse
    • Canton of Aargau
      • Windisch, Canton of Aargau, Suisse, 5210
        • Psychiatrische Dienste Aargau (PDAG)
        • Contact:
    • Canton of St. Gallen
      • Sankt Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen, Suisse, 9001
        • Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST)
        • Contact:
    • Canton of Zurich
      • Winterthur, Canton of Zurich, Suisse, 8400
        • Integrierte Psychiatrie Winterthur (ipw)
        • Contact:

Critères de participation

Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.

Critère d'éligibilité

Âges éligibles pour étudier

  • Adulte
  • Adulte plus âgé

Accepte les volontaires sains

Non

La description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of CPTSD according to ICD-11, confirmed by the treating psychotherapist or psychiatrist
  • Caregiver of at least one child aged 0-18 years (including biological, adoptive, step-, or foster parents and other primary caregivers)
  • Currently receiving individual psychotherapeutic treatment (outpatient or inpatient setting)
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Sufficient German language proficiency to participate in group sessions and complete study questionnaires
  • Ability to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current acute psychosis or severe psychiatric instability requiring immediate intensive treatment
  • Severe cognitive impairment or inability to participate adequately in group-based procedures
  • No current contact with the child
  • Insufficient German language proficiency

Plan d'étude

Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.

Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?

Détails de conception

  • Objectif principal: Traitement
  • Répartition: N / A
  • Modèle interventionnel: Affectation à un seul groupe
  • Masquage: Aucun (étiquette ouverte)

Armes et Interventions

Groupe de participants / Bras
Intervention / Traitement
Expérimental: NEST Group Intervention
Participants receive the NEST group intervention, a manualized, trauma-informed program comprising nine weekly 90-minute group sessions co-led by a member of the study team and a mental health professional from the treatment site. Sessions address parenting-related challenges associated with Complex PTSD, including self-efficacy as a parent, emotion regulation within the parent-child relationship, setting boundaries, and age-appropriate communication with children about the parent's diagnosis. All participants complete self-report questionnaires at three time points (T0, T1, T2) and a subset also completes a semi-structured qualitative interview at T1.
Comportemental: Trauma-Informed Parenting Group Intervention
The NEST group intervention is a manualized, trauma-informed program consisting of nine weekly 90-minute group sessions, co-led by a member of the study team and a mental health professional from the treatment site. Groups are closed and comprise 6-8 parents. Sessions address parenting-related challenges associated with Complex PTSD, including self-concept and self-efficacy as a parent, emotion regulation within the parent-child relationship, setting boundaries, regulating closeness and distance in the parent-child relationship, and age-appropriate communication with children about the parent's diagnosis. Sessions are trauma-sensitive but not trauma-focused; traumatic memories are not processed within the group.
Autres noms:
  • NEST - Nurturing Emotional Safety in Trauma-Affected Parenting

Que mesure l'étude ?

Principaux critères de jugement

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Feasibility - Enrollment/ Recruitment Rate
Délai: From day one of recruitment to baseline measurement T0
Feasibility will be assessed descriptively by the number of participants enrolled and the time required to reach the planned sample size.
From day one of recruitment to baseline measurement T0
Feasibility - Retention Rate
Délai: From enrollment through T1 (approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Retention will be assessed as the proportion of participants completing the post-intervention assessment (T1). A retention rate ≥70% at T1 is defined a priori as the benchmark for implementation-readiness.
From enrollment through T1 (approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Feasibility - Intervention Adherence (Session Attendance)
Délai: From enrollment through completion of the 9-session group intervention (approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Adherence will be assessed as the proportion of participants attending at least 7 of 9 group sessions. A rate of ≥70% of participants attending at least 7 of 9 sessions is defined a priori as the benchmark for implementation-readiness.
From enrollment through completion of the 9-session group intervention (approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Feasibility - Protocol Deviations
Délai: From enrollment through T1 (approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Feasibility will be assessed descriptively through documentation of protocol deviations occurring during the intervention.
From enrollment through T1 (approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Acceptability - TFA Questionnaire
Délai: Post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Acceptability will be assessed using the generic Theoretical Framework of Acceptability questionnaire (TFA; Sekhon et al., 2022), translated into German and adapted to the group therapy context. The TFA covers seven constructs (affective attitude, burden, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity costs, perceived effectiveness, self-efficacy) plus a general acceptability item. Acceptability is considered sufficient if ratings indicate an overall positive evaluation.
Post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
Acceptability - Qualitative Interviews
Délai: Post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)
A subset of participants will additionally complete a semi-structured qualitative interview (approximately 40-50 minutes) exploring their experience of the intervention. Acceptability is considered sufficient if no substantial recurring concerns regarding safety, burden, or contextual fit emerge in qualitative findings.
Post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment)

Mesures de résultats secondaires

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD Symptom Severity
Délai: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Assessed using the International Trauma Questionnaire with Clinical Checks (ITQ-CC; Shevlin et al., 2025; German version: Kratzer et al., 2025), which measures ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD symptom severity, including disturbances in self-organisation. Changes in total and/or subscale scores across time points will be analysed descriptively and exploratively.
Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Parental Stress (PSS)
Délai: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Assessed using the Parental Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, 1995; German validation: Kölch et al., 2022), an 18-item measure of parenting-related stress across positive and negative dimensions of the parenting role. Changes in total and/or subscale scores across time points will be analysed descriptively and exploratively.
Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Parental Self-Efficacy
Délai: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Assessed using the Brief Parental Self-Efficacy Scale (BPSES; Woolgar et al., 2025), a 5-item measure of parents' perceived competence and confidence in their parenting role. Changes in total score across time points will be analysed descriptively and exploratively.
Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Parenting Practices
Délai: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Assessed using the Parenting Scale Short Form (PS-8; Kliem et al., 2018), an 8-item measure of dysfunctional discipline practices, comprising two subscales - laxness and overreactivity - developed and validated in a German representative population sample. Changes in total and/or subscale scores across time points will be analysed descriptively and exploratively.
Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Parental Reflective Functioning
Délai: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Assessed using the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten et al., 2017; German validation: Wildner et al., 2024), a 16-item measure of parents' capacity to mentalise in relation to their child, across three subscales: certainty about mental states, interest and curiosity, and pre-mentalising modes. Changes in total and/or subscale scores across time points will be analysed descriptively and exploratively.
Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Family Emotional Responsiveness
Délai: Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)
Assessed using the Family Assessment Device - Affective Responsiveness subscale (FAD-AR; Miller et al., 1985; German validation: Beierlein et al., 2017), a 7-item subscale assessing the quality of emotional responsiveness within the family. Changes in score across time points will be analysed descriptively and exploratively.
Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, approximately 9-10 weeks after enrollment), and 3-month follow-up (T2)

Collaborateurs et enquêteurs

C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.

Parrainer

St.Gallen University of Applied Sciences

Collaborateurs

Swiss National Science Foundation

Les enquêteurs

  • Chaise d'étude: Rahel Bachem, PhD, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences
  • Chercheur principal: Joelle Schenkel, MSc, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences

Dates d'enregistrement des études

Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.

Dates principales de l'étude

Début de l'étude (Estimé)

1 août 2026

Achèvement primaire (Estimé)

1 juin 2027

Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)

1 juin 2027

Dates d'inscription aux études

Première soumission

5 août 2026

Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

13 août 2026

Première publication (Réel)

14 août 2026

Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude

Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)

14 août 2026

Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

13 août 2026

Dernière vérification

1 août 2026

Plus d'information

Termes liés à cette étude

Mots clés

Autres numéros d'identification d'étude

  • 2026-01379
  • 222855 (Autre subvention/numéro de financement: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF))

Plan pour les données individuelles des participants (IPD)

Prévoyez-vous de partager les données individuelles des participants (DPI) ?

INDÉCIS

Description du régime IPD

A data sharing plan has not yet been finalized. Quantitative outcome data will likely be made available to other researchers in de-identified form, in line with the Swiss National Science Foundation's Open Science requirements; the specific repository or platform has not yet been determined, though registration on the Open Science Framework (OSF) is planned. Sharing of qualitative interview data is expected to be more limited, given the sensitivity of the content and the increased risk of re-identification in a small qualitative sample. Further details will be specified once the data management and sharing plan has been finalized.

Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude

Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Ces informations ont été extraites directement du site Web clinicaltrials.gov sans aucune modification. Si vous avez des demandes de modification, de suppression ou de mise à jour des détails de votre étude, veuillez contacter register@clinicaltrials.gov. Dès qu'un changement est mis en œuvre sur clinicaltrials.gov, il sera également mis à jour automatiquement sur notre site Web .

S'abonner