Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Keywords
Posttrauma Health, Positive Autobiographical Memories, Trauma
Brief summary
The current study will examine daily-level impacts of a technique addressing positive memory retrieval on thoughts, feelings, and health among individuals with trauma experiences.
Detailed description
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is primarily a memory encoding- and retrieval-based disorder. If untreated, there are significant physical, psychological, social, and economic impacts for an individual, their families, and the society broadly. Research demonstrates that positive memory processes contribute to the etiology and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Indeed, difficulties in retrieving and discussing positive memories are amplified among individuals with PTSD. Further, interventions capitalizing on (positive) memory retrieval have been linked to enhanced psychological well-being. Considering this literature, the Processing of Positive Memories Technique (PPMT) was developed as a promising new treatment approach for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which involves detailed narration and processing of specific positive autobiographical memories. This study uses an innovative research protocol that combines case-series design and daily diary approaches to the effects of PPMT on daily affect, daily cognitions, and daily PTSD symptoms. It is hypothesized that at the daily level, in comparison to their an individual's pre-PPMT levels, following the PPMT intervention, participants will report (1) a lower count of endorsed daily PTSD symptoms, (2) increases in daily positive affect and decreases in daily negative affect, (3) increases in positive affect reactivity to daily positive events, and (4) decreases in daily posttrauma cognitions.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALProcessing of Positive Memories Technique
PPMT was administered weekly as a 4-session protocol. In session 1, participants receive psychoeducation on PTSD symptoms, an overview of PPMT, and are assessed for psychological symptoms. Sessions 1-4 involve the detailed processing of a salient positive autobiographical memory to elicit values, affect, strengths, and thoughts related to that positive memory. Homework assignments include listening to an audio recording of that memory, completing a values, affect, strengths, and thoughts log, and engaging in a behavioral activity. In session 4, the therapist also reviews psychological symptoms and addresses termination.
Sponsors
University of Haifa, Israel
University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* being aged between 18 and 65 years * endorsing a trauma with posttrauma symptoms * access to an electronic device with internet capabilities * working knowledge of English * being a current resident of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex * willingness and availability to participate in approximately 10 weeks of this study (including 4 therapy sessions) * willingness to be video-recorded during sessions for quality control purposes
Exclusion criteria
* active suicidal plan, suicidal attempt, homicidal plan, or homicidal attempt (past 3 months including current) * currently in therapy with a mental health provider
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Daily positive events | Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours | Daily positive events is measured by 1 item which asked participants to think about the most positive event of the day and rate how pleasant it was. The score can range from 1 to 4, with higher scores reflecting that the event was more pleasant. |
| Daily PTSD symptoms | Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours | Daily-life version of the Primary Care-PTSD-5 screen (PC-PTSD-5) will assess daily PTSD symptoms with the time frame modified to 'in the last 24 hours.' The total score can range from 0 to 5, with higher scores reflecting endorsement of more PTSD symptoms. |
| Number of retrieved positive memories | Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention | AMT assesses the number of retrieved positive memories by using five cue words followed by a prompt to recall a personally meaningful and specific memory of an event that took place within any 24-hour period. The total score could range from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating more number of retrieved positive memories. |
| Daily negative and positive affect levels | Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours | Daily Positive and Negative Affect are assessed by rating the extent of four positive (excited, cheerful, satisfied, relaxed) and six negative (stressed, irritated, anxious, sad, hopeless, insecure) emotions. This is adapted from the 20-item Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The total positive affect subscale score can range from 1 to 20, with higher scores reflecting more positive affect levels. The total negative affect subscale score can range from 1 to 30, with higher scores reflecting more negative affect. |
| Daily posttrauma cognitions | Each day for 21 days prior to and after the intervention and each survey references the past 24 hours | A 9-item brief version of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI-9) will measure trauma-related thoughts/beliefs with the time frame modified to 'in the last 24 hours.' The total raw score can range from 1 to 63, with higher scores reflecting endorsement of more negative posttrauma cognitions. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PTSD symptom severity | Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention | The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that will be used to evaluate PTSD symptom severity in relation to the worst trauma. The total score could range from 0 to 80, with higher scores reflecting more PTSD symptom severity. |
| Positive Emotion Dysregulation | Baseline survey approximately 4 weeks prior to the intervention | The Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale-Positive Emotions is a 13-item self-report measure that examines dysregulation of positive emotions. The total score could range from 1 to 65, with higher scores indicating more positive emotion dysregulation. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed