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Feasibility of Group-Based Metacognitive Therapy for PTSD

A Feasibility Study of Group-Based Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a Routine Healthcare Setting

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07302334
Enrollment
30
Registered
2025-12-24
Start date
2025-11-28
Completion date
2026-11-28
Last updated
2025-12-24

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

Conditions

PTSD

Keywords

PTSD, MCT

Brief summary

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of group-based Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when delivered within routine psychiatric care in Sweden. The secondary objective is to evaluate preliminary treatment effects of group-based MCT on symptoms of post-traumatic stress, complex PTSD, depression, and quality of life, and to compare treatment dropout rates to those reported in the existing literature on exposure-based treatments for PTSD.

Detailed description

The investigators will investigate a 14 weekly group-based Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Feasibility and acceptability outcomes include recruitment and retention rates, data completeness, treatment adherence, and qualitative evaluations of patient experiences. Recruitment is designed to be broadly inclusive with minimal exclusion criteria. Patients will be recruited from a psychiatric clinic specialised in PTSD in Stockholm, Sweden. The investigators hypothesize that group-based MCT will result in significant within-group reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms and improvements in functioning and quality of life from pre- to post-treatment, with effects maintained up to the 6-month follow-up.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALGroup-based metacognitive therapy

Group-based metacognitive therapy will be offered for 14 weeks.

Sponsors

Region Stockholm
CollaboratorOTHER_GOV
Karolinska Institutet
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Meta-cognitive therapy will be offered in a group-based format for 14 weeks.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Fulfills the diagnostic criteria for PTSD based on clinical records * Self-rated total sum score over 30 on the PCL-5 * Age ≥18 years. * Stable psychotropic medication regimen for ≥4 weeks. * Fluent in Swedish.

Exclusion criteria

* Severe psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., suicidal ideation, active psychosis, bipolar disorder) warranting immediate attention. * Current trauma-related threat (e.g., ongoing domestic violence). * Ongoing evidence-based trauma-focused psychological treatment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Treatment adherenceUp to treatment completion, 14 weeks after treatment start.The proportion of completed group-sessions
The proportion of participants that conducts the weekly measures and further assessment pointsThrough study completion up to the 6 months follow upThe proportion of participants that conducts the weekly measures and further assessment points
The proportion of participants that go through the entire treatment periodCompletion of treatment period, up to the last session delivered 14 weeks after treatment startThe proportion of participants that go through the entire treatment period
Adverse events related to the treatmentThrough study completion, up to the 6 months follow upAdverse events related to the treatment
AcceptabilityCompletion of treatment period, up to the last session delivered 14 weeks after treatment startNumber of drop-outs from treatment
Treatment acceptabilityBaselineNumber of individuals offered the intervention but declined part of treatment
Participants satisfaction with treatment, assessed by The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8).Up till treatment completion, 14 weeks after treatment startThe CSQ-8 yields a single score measuring a single dimension of overall satisfaction. An overall score is calculated by summing the score on each of the eight scale item. Scores range from 8 to 32, with higher values indicating higher satisfaction.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Adverse events related to treatment measured by the Negative effects questionnaire-20.Immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.Self-rated questionnaire on negative effects. It contains 20 items that are scored on a five point Likert-scale (0-4) and differentiates between negative effects that are attributed to treatment and those possibly caused by other circumstances. The total score of the NEQ ranges from 0 to 80 points, a higher score reflects more negative effects.
Change in PTSD symptoms as assessed by the PTSD Check List - DSM-5 (PCL-5)At baseline, after seven weeks of treatment, immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure based upon the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) criteria for PTSD. Total Score (Range 0-80 with higher scores representing more PTSD symptoms.
Change in ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD symptoms as assessed by the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ).At baseline, immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.The ITQ includes six items measuring each PTSD symptom cluster and these items measure how bothersome each symptom has been in the past month. The ITQ also includes six items measuring each 'Disturbance in Self-Organization' (DSO) symptom in complex PTSD. These items measure how a respondent typically feels, thinks about oneself, and relates to others. The PTSD and DSO symptoms are accompanied by three items measuring associated functional impairments in the domains of social, occupation, and other important areas of life. All items are answered on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Extremely). Thus, PTSD and DSO symptom scores range from 0 to 24 and CPTSD symptom scores range from 0 to 48. Higher scores represents more PTSD and complex PTSD symptoms.
Change in depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)At baseline, immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.The PHQ-9 is a widely used and well-validated instrument for measuring the severity of depressive symptoms. Scores are calculated based on how frequently a person experiences 9 symptoms of depression ranging from not at all response is scored as 0; several days response is 1; more than half the days response is 2; and nearly every day response is 3. Higher scores represents more depressive symptoms.
Change in quality of life measured by Euroqol, EQ-5DAt baseline, immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.Change in overall health from baseline to post treatment and follow up . EQ-5D is a standardized self-report measure of overall health status measured in terms of five dimensions; mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Mobility dimension asks about the person's walking ability. Self-care dimension asks about the ability to wash or dress by oneself, and usual activities dimension measures performance in work, study, housework, family or leisure activities. In pain/discomfort dimension, it asks how much pain or discomfort they have, and in anxiety/depression dimension, it asks how anxious or depressed they are. The respondents self-rate their level of severity for each dimension using a three-level scale: 1 having no problems, 2 having some problems and 3 having extreme problems. A higher score indicate worse severity.
Change in tendency to engage in excessive, uncontrollable, and generalized worry measured by PSWQAt baseline, immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.Change in tendency to engage in excessive and uncontrollable worry from baseline to post-treatment and follow-up. The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a standardized self-report measure assessing the general tendency to experience persistent, excessive, and uncontrollable worry. It measures the extent to which worry is perceived as pervasive, distressing, and difficult to control across situations. The scale consists of 16 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all typical of me) to 5 (very typical of me). Items reflect frequency, intensity, and uncontrollability of worry. Higher scores indicate a greater tendency toward pathological worry.
Change in general anxiety level measured by GAD-7At baseline, immediately after treatment completion, at 3-month and 6-months follow up after treatment completion.Change in The Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), a standardized self-report measure of general anxiety symptoms. It consists of 7 items assessing the frequency of core anxiety symptoms such as excessive worry, tension, restlessness, irritability, and difficulties relaxing or concentrating. Respondents rate how often they have been bothered by each symptom over the past two weeks on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). Total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Dropout RatesImmediately after treatment completionDrop out rates will be compared with published data on trauma-focused CBT and EMDR for PTSD.

Countries

Sweden

Contacts

Primary ContactMaria Bragesjö
maria.bragesjo@ki.se+46703399387

Outcome results

None listed

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