None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Since the September 4 2010 earthquake, the wider Christchurch community has been exposed to unpredictable strong aftershocks and this pattern is predicted to continue for some time. Many people have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for PTSD is effective but does not work for everyone. Metacognitive therapy (MCT) is a promising brief therapy for PTSD but it has yet to be trialled against CBT for PTSD. In CBT, the focus is on changing specific unhelpful thoughts whereas MCT addresses problematic thinking styles such as worry that maintain PTSD. Rapid effective treatments are needed, given projected demands for treatment. This study aims to 1) establish whether MCT is superior to CBT in reducing PTSD symptoms, physiological hyperarousal and behavioural avoidance and 2) to establish whether continuing aftershocks reduce treatment efficacy. The language of participants' accounts of their earthquake experiences will be analysed to better understand how the way they think about their experience may change after therapy, particularly in relation to levels of dissociative symptoms. In this pilot study, thirty adults with PTSD will be randomised to receive 12 weeks of outpatient MCT or CBT with follow-up at 6 months.
Interventions
Participants will be randomised to receive up to 12 weeks of weekly individual therapy for earthquake-related PTSD, either metacognitive therapy(MCT) or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Therapy sessions last up to 1 hour. Clinical psychologists deliver both therapies and follow the work of Hamblen & Gibson (2005) and of Wells (2009).
Sponsors
Dr Jennifer Jordan
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (past month) or PTSD in partial remission (current post traumatic stress symptoms including hyperarousal symptoms causing clinically significant distress and impacting on life functioning) related to the Christchurch earthquakes. Any ethnicity Able to provide written informed consent and to complete questionnaires and therapy in English Free of regular psychotropic medication, or will remain on a constant dose during the active treatment phase of the study
Exclusion criteria
Primary severe depressive disorder, active suicidality, current severe alcohol or drug dependence, psychotic symptoms, current mania, cognitive impairment, concurrently attending other psychotherapy.
Outcome results
None listed