Intrusive Traumatic Memories, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
This proof-of-principle study aims to investigate the effects of a brief behavioural procedure including a computerized visuospatial task (the computer game Tetris) preceded by a reactivation of the traumatic memory of childbirth, on birth-related intrusive traumatic memories and other postpartum posttraumatic stress symptoms. Women who report birth-related intrusive memories after 6 weeks postpartum will monitor their intrusive traumatic memories in a daily diary. After two weeks of diary, they will meet a psychologist to briefly evoke the memory of their birth, and receive a brief behavioural procedure including playing Tetris. Participants will then continue to complete an intrusive traumatic memory diary during two weeks. It is predicted that they will report fewer intrusive memories in the two weeks following the intervention, compared to the two weeks before. This will inform the potential future development of a simple computerized intervention procedure to reduce distressing psychological symptoms after traumatic childbirth.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBrief behavioural procedure including a computerized visuospatial task (computer game Tetris)
Brief behavioural procedure including a computerized visuospatial task (the computer game Tetris) preceded by a reactivation of the traumatic memory of childbirth
Sponsors
Antje Horsch
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Single group pre-post study
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Gave birth at the Lausanne University Hospital * Gave written consent * Have at least 4 related-to-childbirth intrusions over the two weeks prior to recruitment, and at least 2 related-to-childbirth intrusions during the pre-intervention diary * Gave birth more than 6 weeks ago * Is able to distinguish intrusions linked to the traumatic childbirth from intrusions linked to other traumatic events
Exclusion criteria
* Gave birth to a stillborn child * Not fluent in French * Severe illness of mother or infant (e.g. cancer, cardiovascular disease, severe neurodevelopmental difficulties, malformations) * Have an established intellectual disability, or psychiatric history such as psychotic illness * Alcohol abuse and/or illegal drug use * Currently receiving psychological care in relation with the traumatic birth experience
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency of intrusive memories of the index trauma | Within 2 weeks following the intervention | Frequency of intrusive traumatic memories related to childbirth recorded by participants in a trauma-related intrusive memories diary over the two weeks after the intervention |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Presence and severity of maternal PTSD symptoms | 1 month after the intervention | PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) for DSM-5 |
| Frequency of intrusive memories of the index trauma | Between 4 and 6 weeks after the intervention | Frequency of intrusive traumatic memories related to childbirth recorded by participants in a trauma-related intrusive memories diary between the 4th and 6th weeks following the intervention |
| Psychological distress related to intrusive memories of the index trauma | Within 2 weeks following the intervention | Rating scale for psychological distress related to intrusive memories related to childbirth that are reported in an intrusive memories diary over the two weeks after the intervention. It is a SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) from 1 to 10 (1= No distress at all while having the intrusion ; 10 = Extreme distress while having the intrusion). |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention acceptability | 1 month after the intervention | 10-point Likert scale (1= The intervention was not at all acceptable; 10 = The intervention was extremely acceptable). |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed