Family support to improve PTSD therapy for Veterans
Official title: Family Involvement in Treatment for PTSD (FIT-PTSD): A Brief, Feasible Method for Enhancing Outcomes, Retention, and Engagement
Funded at VA Boston Health Care System · NIH-11513868 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This adds a short, two-session family program to standard PTSD therapy to help Veterans stay in treatment and feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002339-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11513868 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans aged 21 or older who are starting CPT or PE at a participating VA site and who can bring a willing family member to participate.
✕Less likely to help
Veterans without an available or willing family member, those not receiving CPT/PE, or non-Veterans are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit directly from this intervention.
What this research studies
If you join, you and a family member will be enrolled as a pair when you begin Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) or Prolonged Exposure (PE) at participating VA clinics. Family members will be randomly assigned to either receive a two-session Brief Family Intervention (BFI) or continue usual care without the BFI. The BFI offers psychoeducation and skills to help family members support the Veteran through treatment, and outcomes like PTSD symptoms and whether Veterans complete therapy will be tracked. Independent evaluators will measure progress at baseline and at 6, 12, 18, and 26 weeks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help more Veterans complete CPT/PE and lead to larger improvements in PTSD symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot testing showed promising results, including about 50% less dropout and a large improvement in PTSD symptoms at 16 weeks, but this larger trial will test those findings more fully.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Boston Health Care System
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thompson-Hollands, Johanna — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Thompson-Hollands, Johanna
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how PTSD affects self-control and brain function
Researchers are studying how PTSD changes the brain’s control over thoughts and actions, and how this might affect Veterans’ daily lives and responses to treatment.
-
Ketamine to boost fear extinction and memory on PTSD patients
A study testing whether ketamine can help people with PTSD better relearn and forget fear when given in a guided treatment plan.
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Treating PTSD and opioid use disorder in residential care with Written Exposure Therapy (WEST)
A short, patient-friendly plan to adapt a proven PTSD therapy for people with opioid use disorder in residential treatment and test its practicality and impact.
-
Dynamic PTSD-Related Cognitive Risk in Aging WTC Responders
This project follows World Trade Center responders as they age to understand how PTSD symptoms relate to changes in thinking skills over time.
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Identifying brain proteins linked to PTSD and alcohol use disorder
Researchers are studying brain proteins that may contribute to PTSD and alcohol use disorder in US veterans to find new ways to help people who struggle with both conditions.
-
Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Veterans with Social Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms
A clinical trial tests whether a flexible brain-behavior therapy helps veterans with social anxiety and PTSD symptoms feel better and engage more in daily life.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.