Mechanisms of Written Exposure Therapy in Residential SUD Treatment

Sponsor
Mclean Hospital
Study ID
NCT07397507
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 55 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Written Exposure Therapy — BEHAVIORAL
    Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a five-session manualized treatment for PTSD. At the first session, psychoeducation about common reactions to trauma and PTSD are presented followed by a 30-minute written exposure. Following the exposure, a 10-minute check-in is completed, and individuals are instructed not to avoid any thoughts/feelings/ images related to the trauma between sessions. All subsequent sessions follow this structure: check-in on avoidance and feedback on writing, written exposure, and brief check-in post-writing about the writing process.
  • Neutral Writing — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will complete five writing prompts that are not intended to provoke emotional responses. Examples of these prompts include writing about the food they ate the day prior or what they did yesterday. Participants will be instructed to not discuss their thoughts and feelings regarding these topics. Neutral writing will provide control for time and clinician contact.

Study Details

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief treatment for PTSD, works among individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) engaged in residential SUD treatment and how biology may influence treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does WET improve PTSD and substance use outcomes among individuals with SUD+PTSD? * Does WET improve physiological responses and craving to trauma cues? * Do sex hormones influence changes physiological responses and craving during treatment among women? Participants will: * Complete WET or a neutral writing in addition to their residential SUD treatment * Complete two laboratory sessions before and after treatment * Complete follow-up surveys and interviews at 1- and 3-months post-treatment

Key Dates

First listed
Feb 9, 2026
Start date
Jun 30, 2026
Status verified
Feb 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2029
Completion
Mar 31, 2030

Study Design

Enrollment
108 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: WET
    This arm will receive Written Exposure Therapy in addition to residential SUD treatment.
  • Other: Neutral Writing
    This arm will receive five sessions of neutral writing in addition to residential SUD treatment.

Primary Outcome Measure

PTSD Symptom Severity [ Time Frame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, 1- and 3-Month Post-Discharge ]

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