Understanding and Testing Recovery Processes for PTSD and Alcohol Use Following Sexual Assault

Description

Sexual assault can lead to devastating consequences including the development of chronic conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD). Interventions delivered soon after exposure to assault can decrease the long-term negative consequences of sexual assault but existing interventions are limited in their ability to target concurrent PTSD symptoms and alcohol use and little is known about how to make best practice treatment decisions in the early period following sexual assault. A greater emphasis on transdiagnostic processes that are related to both PTSD and alcohol use, such as fear and reward systems, can elucidate mechanisms of recovery, lead to the development of more effective intervention approaches, and guide clinical decision making for patients recently exposed to sexual assault.

Conditions

Alcohol; Use, Problem, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

Sexual assault can lead to devastating consequences including the development of chronic conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD). Interventions delivered soon after exposure to assault can decrease the long-term negative consequences of sexual assault but existing interventions are limited in their ability to target concurrent PTSD symptoms and alcohol use and little is known about how to make best practice treatment decisions in the early period following sexual assault. A greater emphasis on transdiagnostic processes that are related to both PTSD and alcohol use, such as fear and reward systems, can elucidate mechanisms of recovery, lead to the development of more effective intervention approaches, and guide clinical decision making for patients recently exposed to sexual assault.

Understanding and Testing Recovery Processes for PTSD and Alcohol Use Following Sexual Assault

Understanding and Testing Recovery Processes for PTSD and Alcohol Use Following Sexual Assault

Condition
Alcohol; Use, Problem
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Seattle

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States, 98105

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.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. Identifies as female.
  • 2. Between the age of 18 and 65.
  • 3. Reports a sexual assault in the last 4 weeks to 1 year.
  • 4. Current PTSD severity of 23+ on the PSS-I-5.
  • 5. Current heavy alcohol use (2+ heavy episodic drinking occasions \[4+ drinks on one occasion\] in past month).
  • 6. Access to the internet and a device with a webcam.
  • 1. Current diagnosis of schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or organic mental disorder as defined by the DSM-5.
  • 2. Current diagnosis of bipolar disorder, depression with psychotic features, or depression severe enough to require immediate psychiatric treatment (i.e., serious suicide risk with intent and plan).
  • 3. Unwilling or unable to discontinue current trauma-focused psychotherapy or current substance use psychotherapy.
  • 4. Unstable dose of psychotropic medications in the prior 3 months.
  • 5. Ongoing intimate relationship with the perpetrator of most recent assault.
  • 6. Current diagnosis of a severe substance use disorder according to DSM-5, other than alcohol in the last month.
  • 7. No clear trauma memory.
  • 8. Current higher dose use of benzodiazepines (greater than the equivalent of 4 mg of lorazepam, 2 mg alprazolam, 1.5 mg clonazepam, or 20 mg of diazepam).

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Washington,

Michele Bedard-Gilligan, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Washington

Study Record Dates

2025-08-31