Recruiting

Prolonged Exposure

Sponsor:

Massachusetts General Hospital

Code:

NCT05788302

Conditions

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Prolonged Exposure

Study Details

Brief summary:

The primary objective of this research is to collect pilot data that demonstrates that proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aims of the study are to: (1) examine theoretically informed mechanisms as pretreatment predictors of PE treatment efficacy, (2) characterize how neural, psychophysiological, and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of PE, and (3) examine proposed mechanisms of change as measures of PE treatment efficacy. This is a longitudinal study of predictors of exposure therapy efficacy that will be conducted within the context of a standard 10 session PE treatment trial, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 1-month follow-up. This data will be used to support a future NIMH and/or VA grant submission.

Conditions

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Study ID

NCT05788302

Start date

Apr 1, 2023

Status verified date

Sep, 2025

Completion date

Dec 1, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Mar 1, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 18 or older
2. Meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD as defined by DSM-5 assessed by the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and Obsessive-compulsive and related Psychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND), and
3. Interest in starting PE

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Current or past history of schizophrenic or other psychotic disorders,
2. Untreated Bipolar Disorder or a history of a manic/mixed episode within the last 6 months,
3. Severe traumatic brain injury,
4. Major neurological problems,
5. Current substance use disorder of moderate or greater severity assessed by the DIAMOND,
6. Active risk to self or others,
7. Current participation in therapy other than present-centered supportive therapy,
8. Previously received > 2 sessions of Prolonged Exposure, and
9. Having no memory of their traumatic event.
10. For participants who are currently prescribed psychotropic medication, they will be eligible for the study provided medication use has been stable for 2 months prior to enrollment and remains stable throughout participation

Study Design

Enrollment

50 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Prolonged Exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder

15 participants who meet study inclusion/exclusion criteria will be individually administered a full course of PE during 10, 60 minute-sessions, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5), post-treatment, and a 1-month follow-up.

Interventions

Prolonged Exposure

\- Participation will occur throughout 17 weeks over 15 separate visits during which 10, 60-minute sessions of PE will take place. Session 1 of PE will focus on psychoeducation. Session 2 of PE will involve a continuation of psychoeducation and rationale for exposure as well as the collaborative construction of the in vivo exposure hierarchy. After session 2, participants will begin homework where they are instructed to confront situations on their hierarchy. Starting in session 3 of PE, participants will begin imaginal exposures to their worst trauma memory. This involves the participant recounting and visualizing the trauma memory aloud with the clinician in the room for 30-40 minutes. The session will end with 15-20 minutes of processing the imaginal exposure. Participants will continue in-session imaginal exposures until the end of treatment. Throughout the treatment, participants will listen to a recording of their imaginal exposure and engage in in vivo exposures daily.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change from baseline in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) [ Time Frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Amanda W Baker, Ph.D.

617-643-6703AWBAKER1@PARTNERS.ORG

Vladimir Ivkovic, Ph.D.

617-724-5550VIVKOVIC@mgh.harvard.edu

Locations

MGH

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114

Contacts

Amanda Baker, PhD

6176436703awbaker1@partners.org

More Information

Sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Last update posted

Nov 13, 2025

Last verified

Sep, 2025

Keywords

  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Exposure Therapy

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Massachusetts General Hospital on 2025-11-13.