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Understanding and Testing Recovery Processes for PTSD and Alcohol Use Following Sexual Assault
Sponsor: University of Washington
Summary
Sexual assault can lead to devastating consequences including the development of chronic conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD). Interventions delivered soon after exposure to assault can decrease the long-term negative consequences of sexual assault but existing interventions are limited in their ability to target concurrent PTSD symptoms and alcohol use and little is known about how to make best practice treatment decisions in the early period following sexual assault. A greater emphasis on transdiagnostic processes that are related to both PTSD and alcohol use, such as fear and reward systems, can elucidate mechanisms of recovery, lead to the development of more effective intervention approaches, and guide clinical decision making for patients recently exposed to sexual assault.
Key Details
Gender
FEMALE
Age Range
18 Years - 65 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
82
Start Date
2021-06-02
Completion Date
2026-08-31
Last Updated
2025-12-18
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Imaginal Exposure
Six 50 min, twice weekly video telehealth sessions will be provided based on prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD. This brief intervention includes psycho-education and focuses on imaginal exposure only based on Zoellner et al., (2016).
Alcohol Skills Training
Six 50 min, twice weekly video telehealth sessions will be provided based on content from the alcohol skills training program and CBT protocols. Each session includes teaching skills and practice, focusing on mitigating rewarding aspects of alcohol, addressing cravings, and increasing other natural rewards.
Supportive Telehealth
The supportive counseling intervention, modeled after Litz et al. (2007), will ask participants to self-monitor their experience of weekly symptoms and complete weekly online writing about daily non-trauma related concerns and hassles. Participants will talk with a therapist on the telephone twice per week.
Locations (1)
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States