Self-Help CPT with WoVeN Peer Support for Women Veterans with PTSD
Official title: Augmenting Cognitive Processing Therapy With a Peer Led Support Intervention to Improve Well-Being: A Sustainable and Scalable Model for Enhancing PTSD Recovery in Vulnerable Populations
Run by Boston University · NCT07250061 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests a self-help Cognitive Processing Therapy and a WoVeN peer-support program, alone and together, to see if they improve PTSD symptoms and well-being for women veterans.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Boston University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Boston, Massachusetts) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 5, 2026 |
| Main results expected | March 2028 |
| Study ends | March 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 27, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07250061 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are women veterans with full or subthreshold PTSD who can read English and have access to online participation, without recent intensive therapy or active suicidality.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals requiring intensive or in-person therapy, or those with active severe psychiatric conditions needing higher levels of care, may derive less or no benefit from this self-help/peer-support approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a three-arm randomized controlled trial involving a national sample of women veterans with PTSD. Participants are assigned to: 1) self-help Cognitive Processing Therapy (shCPT) alone, 2) both self-help CPT and the WoVeN peer-support program, or 3) referral plus treatment as usual. The interventions are completed within 10 weeks, with baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up assessments, plus weekly engagement surveys. An initial open trial of the combined WoVeN + shCPT condition will inform refinements before broader recruitment. The study is led by Boston University with NIMH collaboration and is conducted fully online.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce PTSD symptoms and improve mental well-being through accessible self-help and peer-support options.
How similar studies have gone: Past work supports self-help CBT formats for PTSD, and peer-support programs have shown benefits in related areas; this study tests their combined effect in a national, online setting.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Identifies as a woman * Has served in the United States military * A full or subthreshold (meets criteria for 2 out of 4 of the symptom clusters for PTSD) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis * Able to read English well enough to complete study questionnaires Exclusion Criteria: * Clinician judgment that the participant is not appropriate for self-help level of care for PTSD (i.e., recent psychiatric hospitalization, requires detox, volatile, active suicidality) * Current psychosis or unstable bipolar disorder (determined during baseline interview as described in screening and enrollment procedures) * Must not have participated in a WoVeN group within the last year * Must not be receiving an evidenced-based therapy for PTSD at the time of the screening
Where it's running
-
Fully online study
Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Tara E Galovski, PhD — BUCA School of Medicine, Psychiatry and VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Tara E Galovski, PhD
- Email: Tara.Galovski@va.gov
- Phone: (857) 364-4129
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.