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Mechanisms Underlying Efficacy of Prolonged Exposure
Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital
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.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
50
Start Date
2023-04-01
Completion Date
2027-12-01
Last Updated
2025-11-13
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
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.
Locations (1)
MGH
Boston, Massachusetts, United States