Guided Written Exposure Therapy for Adolescents with Complex PTSD

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This randomized controlled trial will enroll 120 Chinese adolescents with complex PTSD and randomly assign 60 to group Guided Written Exposure Therapy for CPTSD (GWE-C) and 60 to supportive group therapy. The GWE-C intervention consists of 7 to 10 group writing-and-discussion sessions that focus on trauma-related narratives. The primary outcome, measured by the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), will be collected at baseline, post-treatment, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up. The trial will be conducted at Peking University in Beijing and a partnering middle school site in Fuyang, Anhui.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged between 10 and 18 years;
2. Meet the diagnostic or subclinical criteria for Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), defined as missing at most one symptom from either the PTSD or DSO clusters;
3. Possess sufficient literacy and language skills to complete writing-based tasks;
4. Be able to understand the study procedures and complete the required assessments;
5. Provide written informed consent, with consent also obtained from their legal guardians.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Presence of a severe psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disorder, such as schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, or other severe psychiatric conditions that would interfere with study participation;
2. Presence of a severe physical illness that would impair the ability to engage in the intervention;
3. Assessed as being at high suicidal risk (e.g., current suicidal ideation with intent or plan, recent suicide attempt within the past 12 months, or severe self-harm behaviors);
4. Ongoing exposure to traumatic events;
5. Currently receiving other trauma-focused psychological treatments.

Where it's running

• Peking University
  Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China Recruiting
• Changchun middle school
  Fuyang, Anhui, China Completed
• Ulanhot No. 1 High School
  Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia, China Completed
• Urumqi No. 74 Middle School
  Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China Completed

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Yinyin Zang, Ph.D.
• Email: yinyin.zang@pku.edu.cn
• Phone: 00861062756953

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.