Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
Participants are randomly assigned to either 16 sessions of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy (Gersons et al. (2000) Journal Trauma Stress 13: 333-348), comprising psychoeducation, exposure, mementos and writing assignments, domain of meaning and integration, farewell ritual, or a minimal attention control group that will be offered 16 sessions of BEP after a waiting time of four months. Participants in the minimal attention control group receive monthly telephone calls and complete a symptom self monitoring diary (Tarrier, N. et al. (1999) Behavior Therapy 30: 597-605) for three weeks.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBrief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD
16 weekly sessions (50min) of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD
Sponsors
Swiss National Science Foundation
Herrmann-Klaus-Stiftung, Switzerland
Olga Mayenfisch Stiftung, Zurich, Switzerland
Jubiläumsspende für die Universität Zürich, Switzerland
University of Zurich
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clear memory of an index traumatic event (sufficient for constructing a scene to be used in exposure) that occurred no less than six months prior to entering the trial (Montgomery and Bech 2000) * PTSD according to the DSM-IV, related to the index traumatic event, as measured with the CAPS: frequency ≥ 1 and intensity ≥ 2 for a symptom to be counted plus a minimum level of overall severity ≥ 50 * Not receiving other psychotherapy for PTSD during the 16 weeks of active treatment; psychotherapy for other problems, brief check-ins with an existing therapist, and attendance at self-help groups will be allowed * If on psychoactive medication: on a stable medication regimen for a minimum of two months prior to entering the trial * Aged between 18 and 70 years * Sufficient proficiency in the German language to participate in BEP * Consent to be randomized into the trial
Exclusion criteria
* Current psychotic, bipolar, substance-related, or severe personality disorder * Current severe depressive disorder * Severe cognitive impairment or a history of organic mental disorder * Evidence of PTSD or depression immediately prior to the index trauma * Ongoing threat of traumatic exposure * Prominent current suicidal or homicidal ideation * Asylum seeking status
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| PTSD symptom severity (CAPS, Blake et al. 1998; Post-therapy / post-waitlist comparison, controlled for baseline scores | Last month |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Comorbidity: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV SCID I (First et al. 1996); Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS (Zigmond and Snaith 1983) | Last month |
| Questions on Life Satisfaction FLZ (Henrich and Herschbach 2000) | Last month |
| Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory PTCI (Foa et al. 1999) | Last month |
| Ability to work and use of health care facilities | Last months |
| EEG, event-related potentials: P300 | At assessment |
| Post-therapy / post-waitlist comparison, follow-up at 6month post therapy | Last month |
| Posttraumatic Growth Inventory PGI (Tedeschi and Calhoun 1996) | Since trauma |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed