Trying proven PTSD therapies again or switching approaches when the first treatment doesn't work

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

Adults with clinician-confirmed PTSD receive an initial course of evidence-based therapy delivered as 10 sessions over two weeks; people who do not respond may be offered an additional 10 sessions of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), or Skills Training for Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR). The study collects self-report measures and clinician-rated assessments at multiple timepoints to track symptoms and treatment response. Researchers will look for clinical, demographic, or symptom-pattern factors that predict who is unlikely to respond to the first treatment and use those factors to create a simple tool to identify probable non-responders earlier. The approach is intended to improve follow-up care by matching patients to the therapy most likely to help them when the first approach fails.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Are 18 years or older
* Are fluent in English
* Have experienced a Criterion A traumatic event during their lifetime
* Have a PTSD diagnosis verified via the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5
* Are interested in receiving evidence-based treatment for PTSD and able to attend 10 therapy sessions over the course of 2 weeks (10 days) and could possibly attend another 10 sessions of a subsequent treatment (additional CPT sessions, PE, or STAIR)
* Are willing and able to complete self-report measures and clinician-rated assessments at multiple timepoints over the course of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* The index traumatic event occurred in the past month
* They are currently suicidal or homicidal (i.e., current plan and imminent intent)
* They have unmanaged psychosis or mania
* They have not been on a stable dose of psychotropic medication for at least one month at the time of the baseline assessment
* They have completed an evidence-based cognitive behavioral PTSD treatment in the past three months or are currently engaged in an evidence-based PTSD treatment (CPT, PE)
* They have an intellectual disability or significant cognitive impairment that would prevent them from engaging in treatment
* They have a serious or unstable medical illness or instability for which hospitalization may be likely within the next year
* They have an active substance use disorder (within the past three months) that would require immediate medical observation if substance was abruptly discontinued
* They are involved with current legal actions related to their index trauma
* They have a visual or auditory impairment that would prevent them from fully participating in study activities
* They, at the time of consent, appear to have extenuating life circumstances (i.e., unstable housing, no internet access, etc.) which, in the judgement of the study team, could affect the ability to deliver interventions with fidelity

Where it's running

• Rush University Medical Center
  Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Philip Held, PhD
• Email: philip_held@rush.edu
• Phone: 312-942-1423

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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.