Improving communication between patients and providers to enhance PTSD treatment outcomes
Official title: Enhancing PTSD Treatment Outcomes by Improving Patient-Provider Communication
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11051791 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new writing tool called AWARE that helps people with PTSD share their concerns during therapy, to see if it can make their treatment more effective and improve their overall experience.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | March 7, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $189,211 |
| NIH project number | 5K23MH132815-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11051791 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 21 and older who are undergoing treatment for PTSD.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not currently receiving treatment for PTSD or those under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing treatment outcomes for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by improving communication between patients and their therapists. It introduces an innovative writing intervention called AWARE, which aims to address patients' treatment-related concerns during therapy sessions. By integrating health communication strategies, the study seeks to refine this intervention through initial case series and then test its effectiveness in a pilot randomized controlled trial. The goal is to determine if AWARE can lead to better engagement and outcomes in established PTSD treatments like cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment outcomes and reduced dropout rates for patients with PTSD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that enhancing patient-provider communication can lead to better treatment adherence and outcomes, suggesting that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alpert, Elizabeth Rose — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Alpert, Elizabeth Rose
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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.