RECRUITING

Written Exposure Therapy for Veterans With SUD and PTSD

Study Overview

This clinical trial focuses on testing the efficacy of different digital interventions to promote re-engagement in cancer-related long-term follow-up care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer.

Description

The proposed project will evaluate the efficacy of written exposure therapy (WET) among Veterans engaged in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, who present with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While SUD treatment programs traditionally do not address PTSD, effective trauma treatments have been used successfully among those with substance use comorbidities. WET is a brief trauma-focused intervention shown to effectively treat PTSD. In a recent acceptability and feasibility pilot study among Veterans with co-occurring SUD and PTSD, results showed a decrease in PTSD symptoms among participants receiving WET. The goal of the present study is to improve outcomes for Veterans who present for SUD treatment with comorbid SUD/PTSD.

Official Title

Written Exposure Therapy (WET) as a Brief Trauma Treatment for Veterans With Co-occurring Substance Use Disorders and PTSD

Quick Facts

Study Start:2022-09-26
Study Completion:2027-06-30
Study Type:Not specified
Phase:Not Applicable
Enrollment:Not specified
Status:RECRUITING

Study ID

NCT05327504

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Ages Eligible for Study:18 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:No
Standard Ages:ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Inclusion CriteriaExclusion Criteria
  1. * Veterans ages 18 years old or older;
  2. * Meets DSM-5 criteria for at least one substance use disorder (SUD);
  3. * Meets DSM-5 criteria for PTSD;
  4. * Approved for SUD treatment at VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
  1. * Veterans who meet current criteria for schizophrenia, schizophrenia-type disorders, or unmedicated mania or bipolar disorder as determined by QuickSCID-5;
  2. * current suicidal or homicidal risks necessitating a higher level of care;
  3. * Veterans who have received an Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for PTSD protocol within the past 6 months;
  4. * Problems that would prevent a participant from completing the writing intervention or study assessments (e.g., illiteracy). To assess for literacy, participants will read parts of the consent out loud.

Contacts and Locations

Study Contact

Michael Merritt
CONTACT
(352) 548-6000
michael.merritt@va.gov
Jenelle Newcomb, BA
CONTACT
(203) 932-5711
Jenelle.Newcomb@yale.edu

Principal Investigator

Sarah Meshberg-Cohen, PhD MS BS
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT

Study Locations (Sites)

VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT
West Haven, Connecticut, 06516-2770
United States

Collaborators and Investigators

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

  • Sarah Meshberg-Cohen, PhD MS BS, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT

Study Record Dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Registration Dates

Study Start Date2022-09-26
Study Completion Date2027-06-30

Study Record Updates

Study Start Date2022-09-26
Study Completion Date2027-06-30

Terms related to this study

Keywords Provided by Researchers

  • Addiction
  • Trauma and Stress Related Disorders
  • Substance Use Disorder
  • PTSD
  • Comorbidity

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

  • Substance Use Disorders
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder