Recruiting

MOVED

Sponsor:

VA Office of Research and Development

Code:

NCT06788678

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

MOVED

Supportive Care Control

Study Details

Brief summary:

Despite the availability of evidence-based treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are many challenges to successful trauma recovery for Veterans including difficulties starting and completing these treatments and gaps in fully addressing additional important treatment targets including lower social functioning and quality of life. Alternative, stand-alone treatment options that address a range of outcomes and can be easily accessed are needed to expand the reach of PTSD treatment to Veterans. One way to address this need is with a positive psychology intervention called MOVED, which has shown promise in a prior pilot study. MOVED is a web-based, self-guided intervention (8 sessions, 4 weeks) that uses moral elevation-feeling inspired by others' virtuous actions. This clinical trial will test if MOVED leads to decreased PTSD symptoms and increased social functioning and quality of life compared to a generic supportive treatment that does not focus on moral elevation. Results will help determine if MOVED is a useful alternative approach to target trauma recovery among Veterans with PTSD.

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Study ID

NCT06788678

Start date

Aug 10, 2026

Status verified date

Aug, 2026

Completion date

Sep 30, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun 30, 2029

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Enrolled in a VISN 17 health care system
  • English-speaking and able to provide written informed consent
  • Willingness to complete study procedures and be randomized
  • Internet access and an electronic device to complete the web-based sessions
  • Current diagnosis of PTSD based on the CAPS-5
  • History of PTSD diagnosis for at least 1 year

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of severe traumatic brain injury indicated by medical record review and the Ohio State Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method (OSU TBI-ID)
  • Current psychosis or mania as indicated by medical record review and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)
  • Current suicide risk based on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
  • Currently enrolled and actively participating in a trauma-focused treatment including:

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy
  • Prolonged Exposure
  • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

Study Design

Enrollment

250 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: MOVED

Moral Elevation Online Intervention for Veterans Experiencing Distress.

active comparator: Supportive Care Control

Present-centered, nondirective intervention

Interventions

MOVED

MOVED includes 8 self-guided, web-based sessions administered over 4 weeks. Web-based sessions include 3 core components: (1) elicit moral elevation, (2) engage in reflection about moral elevation response, and (3) set a behavioral goal that is inspired by the moral elevation exercise.

Supportive Care Control

A present-centered, nondirective intervention that aims to control for the nonspecific therapeutic effects of supportive care. In this case, the effects of engaging in regular web-based sessions that convey information about PTSD symptoms. Sessions will include psychoeducation materials about PTSD symptoms, functioning, and resources for dealing with related stressors. Key components of MOVED will be strictly excluded.

Primary outcome measure

  • Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) [ Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months. ]
  • World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) [ Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months. ]
  • World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) [ Time Frame: Follow-up assessments at posttreatment, 3-months, and 6-months. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Adam P McGuire, PhD

(254) 297-5173Adam.McGuire@va.gov

Locations

Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX

Recruiting

Temple, Texas, United States, 76504-7451

Contacts

Adam P McGuire, PhD

(254) 297-5173Adam.McGuire@va.gov

Principal Investigator:

Adam P. McGuire, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Last update posted

Aug 19, 2026

Last verified

Aug, 2026

Keywords

  • PTSD
  • Web-Based Intervention
  • Veterans
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Moral Elevation

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by VA Office of Research and Development on 2026-08-19.