PTSD
Conditions
Keywords
PTSD, adolescents, randomized controlled trial
Brief summary
The study aims to examine the effectiveness of group-delivered guided written exposure therapy (GWE) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD in Chinese adolescents through a randomized controlled trial. A total of 50 participants will be recruited, with 25 randomized to the GWE group and 25 to the waiting-list (WL) group. The GWE intervention will consist of 5 to 8 group sessions. The primary outcome, PTSD and CPTSD symptom severity, will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up.
Interventions
Group-Delivered guided written exposure therapy (GWE) is a manualized exposure-based therapy program consisting of 5-8 sequential sessions. The interval between every 2 consecutive sessions is 0-2 days. There will be 5-8 group-delivered sessions in total (only one index trauma will be discussed), and 1-2 weeks to complete.The first and last sessions are scheduled to last for 1.5 hours each, while the other sessions will be 50 minutes in duration.
BEHAVIORALWaiting-List (WL) condition
Participants assigned to WL will be asked to not work with other therapists or seek additional treatment for trauma-related difficulties during the waitting period. After the one-month follow-up of the GWE group, they will receive the same treatment.WL participants will also be given contact information to use in case of worsening symptoms or increasing distress.
Sponsors
Peking University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Masking description
Randomization was conducted by an independent research assistant, and the random sequence was concealed from the investigator until the process was completed.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
10 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Adolescents aged 10-18 years. 2. Meeting full or subthreshold PTSD (up to one symptom missing) diagnostic criteria according to the Child PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview Version for DSM-5 (CPSS-5-I). 3. If taking psychotropic medication, currently stabilized on psychotropic medication for at least four weeks. 4. Capable of writing and understanding written instructions.
Exclusion criteria
1. Presence of severe psychopathology necessitating immediate medical attention 2. Moderate to high suicide risk (e.g., intent or plan to attempt suicide in the near future) 3. Evidence of a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury 4. Currently undergoing psychotherapy specifically for PTSD.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5) | baseline, post treatment(2 weeks), 6 weeks, 14 weeks | PCL-5 was a 20-item self-report scale that assesses PTSD DSM-5 diagnosis and symptom severity in the past month. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 ("not at all") to 4("extremely").The Chinese version of PCL-5 has shown good psychometric properties in trauma-affected Chinese adolescents. |
| CPTSD symptoms | baseline,post treatment(2 weeks), 6 weeks, 14 weeks | CPTSD symptoms include two parts: PTSD symptoms were assessed using six PCL-5 items mapped to ICD-11 domains: re-experiencing (items 2 and 3), avoidance (items 6 and 7), and sense of current threat (items 17 and 18). Disturbances in self-organization (DSO) were measured using the 6-item DSO subscale of the International Trauma Questionnaire-Child and Adolescent Version (ITQ-CA), which has demonstrated good validity in Chinese adolescent samples. The resulting 12-item composite yielded total scores ranging from 0 to 48, consistent with ITQ-CA scoring conventions. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item | baseline, post treatment(2 weeks), 6 weeks, 14 weeks | Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9), a self-report measure for depressive symptoms in past two weeks, comprises 9 items rated from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). The PHQ-9 has good psychometric properties in Chinese adolescents. |
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item | baseline, post treatment(2 weeks), 6 weeks, 14 weeks | Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale is a 7- item self-report measure assess anxiety symptoms in past two weeks. Each item is rated from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).The Chinese version GAD-7 score has good psychometric properties among adolescents. |
| The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire | baseline, post treatment(2 weeks), 6 weeks, 14 weeks | The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a 25-item self-report questionnaire assessing emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems and prosocial behaviour .The response scale ranges from 0 ( not true) to 2 (certainly true). Chinese version has been demonstrated to have good internal consistency. |
Countries
China
Outcome results
None listed