None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) are chronic, debilitating disorders that frequently co-occur. There is a critical need to intervene early to prevent the long-term problems associated with this comorbidity. However, there are currently no empirically validated treatments available for adolescents. This pilot study aims to examine an innovative exposure-based treatment for traumatic stress and substance use among adolescents (COPE-A). Ten adolescents (aged 12-17yrs) with comorbid traumatic stress and substance use (and their primary caregivers) will be recruited and offered the 16-session COPE-A intervention. Participants will undergo interviews at baseline and post-treatment. Measures of therapeutic compliance, treatment acceptability and feasibility, and treatment outcome will be analysed.
Interventions
The COPE-A program consists of 16 weekly 60-90minute individual psychotherapy sessions and is designed for adolescent males or females who use any substances and have experienced any form of trauma. The COPE-A program comprises components of the gold standard treatments for adolescent PTSD and SUD including: i) trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and CBT for substance use; ii) establishing a trusting therapeutic relationship; iii) psychoedu
The COPE-A program consists of 16 weekly 60-90minute individual psychotherapy sessions and is designed for adolescent males or females who use any substances and have experienced any form of trauma. The COPE-A program comprises components of the gold standard treatments for adolescent PTSD and SUD including: i) trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and CBT for substance use; ii) establishing a trusting therapeutic relationship; iii) psychoeducation for PTSD and substance use; iv) enhancing stress management and problem solving skills; v) recognising and challenging unhelpful cognitions; and vi) exposure therapy for PTSD. COPE-A also includes three optional caregiver sessions that provide psychoeducation about substance use and trauma responses and a rationale for the adolescent program. A session is offered at the end-of-treatment to discuss PTSD and substance use relapse prevention strategies and aftercare.
Sponsors
Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Office (MHDAO)
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
12 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
(i) aged between 12-17 years, (ii) substance use in the past month, (iii) lifetime exposure to at least one traumatic event, (iv) partial or full diagnosis of current PTSD.
Exclusion criteria
(i) recent history of suicide or self-harm, (ii) chronic psychosis, (iii) organic or traumatic brain injury, or (iv) ongoing trauma-related threat or ongoing unsupervised contact with the alleged perpetrator.
Outcome results
None listed