Pilot Study of Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Pilot Study of Exposure Therapy for the Treatment of Puerto Ricans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Status

Completed

Phases

Phase 1

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01306136

Enrollment

Registered

2011-03-01

Start date

2008-11-30

Completion date

2010-10-31

Last updated

2011-03-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Keywords

Posttraumatic stress disorder, Prolonged exposure, Cognitive behavior therapy

Brief summary

The purpose of this project is to examine the feasibility of a culturally adapted, manual based Prolonged Exposure therapy intervention for the treatment of Spanish-speaking Puerto Ricans with posttraumatic stress disorder

Detailed description

This project seeks to lay the foundation for an effectiveness trial that will lead to the advancement of treatments for PTSD among Spanish-speaking Latinos, particularly Puerto Ricans. This area of research is important in light of the limited treatment options currently available for Spanish-speakers with PTSD and the long-term negative consequences of this condition. Participants in this study are recruited by referral from mental health providers in a general health setting. Patients meeting criteria for enrollment will be randomly assigned to receive either Prolonged Exposure therapy or treatment as usual. Assessments for all participants will be collected at baseline, week 8, and week 16 after randomization.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALProlonged Exposure

15 psychotherapy sessions focused on helping clients overcome avoidance behaviors and emotionally process trauma-related memories

BEHAVIORALUsual care

Per usual care, patients are referred to a mental health provider within the health care setting.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* diagnosis of PTSD * CAPS score of at least 45 * 18 to 65 years old * Spanish speaker * competent to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* history of bipolar disease, schizophrenia or psychotic disorder * alcohol or drug abuse in the past three months * moderate to severe traumatic brain injury * applying for or receiving disability benefits * clinically judged to have a high acute suicide risk * life-threatening medical condition * currently receiving psychotherapy for PTSD or changed psychotropic medication within 2 months of randomization

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale	Baseline, week 8, week 16	The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale is a semi-structured interview designed to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic status and symptom severity.

Countries

Puerto Rico

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026