Art Therapy and Emotional Well Being in Military Populations With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Description

Art therapy is used across the Military Health System for treatment of posttraumatic symptoms, but there is limited research on how art therapy is able to restore emotional expression and regulation in service members. This research hopes to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the neurological systems at work. If a participant chooses to be in this study, he or she will attend ten sessions over a period of twelve weeks. The first session will be an interview and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. The middle eight sessions will be one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The last session will consist of the same self-assessment questionnaires and another MRI scan.

Conditions

PTSD, Military Activity, Post-Traumatic Headache, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Delayed Onset, Sleep Disturbance, Nightmare, Irritable Mood, Anger, Combat and Operational Stress Reaction, Combat Stress Disorders, Military Family, Military Operations

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Art therapy is used across the Military Health System for treatment of posttraumatic symptoms, but there is limited research on how art therapy is able to restore emotional expression and regulation in service members. This research hopes to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the neurological systems at work. If a participant chooses to be in this study, he or she will attend ten sessions over a period of twelve weeks. The first session will be an interview and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. The middle eight sessions will be one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The last session will consist of the same self-assessment questionnaires and another MRI scan.

Art Therapy and Emotional Well Being in Military Populations With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Art Therapy and Emotional Well Being in Military Populations With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Condition
PTSD
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Bethesda

National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20814

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

  • * DEERS Eligible
  • * Active Duty or Veteran separated within the past 5 years
  • * Significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (score of \>/=31 on the PCL-5)
  • * History of moderate, severe, or penetrating brain injury
  • * History of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or active suicidal or homicidal ideation
  • * History of multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, or Alzheimer's disease
  • * History of stroke or myocardial infarction
  • * History of brain tumor
  • * History of seizures
  • * Contradictions for MRI (for example, participants will be excluded for pregnancy, metal implants or suspected shrapnel, aneurysm/intracranial clips, cardiac pacemakers or implanted programmable devices or pumps)
  • * Unable to provide informed consent
  • * History of previous exposure to art therapy
  • * Active substance use disorder

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 64 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center,

Chandler Rhodes, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, WRNMMC

Study Record Dates

2025-06