Adapting the Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression Therapy to Reduce Intimate Partner Violence and Promote Psychosocial Recovery in Veteran Couples (MERA-C)

Part of paid clinical trials in Charleston, South Carolina.

Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development
Study ID
NCT07749755
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Intimate Partner Violence

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression- Couples — BEHAVIORAL
    4 weekly dyadic/couples therapy sessions of 45-60 minutes each.
  • Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression — BEHAVIORAL
    4 weekly individual therapy sessions of 45-60 minutes each.

Study Details

This study will address a pressing unmet need for effective and accessible treatment for Veteran couples with intimate partner violence (IPV). The primary objective is to adapt a brief intervention originally developed to reduce general aggression among individual Veterans with PTSD symptoms (Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression; MERA) to reduce IPV among Veteran couples. First, the investigators will conduct stakeholder interviews to inform the content, dose, and timing of the adapted MERA-Couples manual (MERA-C). Second, the investigators will examine the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of MERA-C through a single-arm feasibility trial among 10 Veteran couples with IPV. Finally, the investigators will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (N= 60 couples) to examine the preliminary within- and between-couple effects of MERA-C versus MERA on (1) participant acceptability and retention and (2) physical and psychological IPV occurrence; emotion regulation; relationship functioning; and psychosocial functioning from pre- to post-treatment and at 1-month follow-up.

Key Dates

First listed
Aug 6, 2026
Start date
Jan 1, 2027
Status verified
Jul 2026
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2030
Completion
Sep 30, 2030

Study Design

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

Arms

  • Experimental: MERA-C
    Phase 3/Aim 3 of this study involves a behavioral intervention. Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression-Couples (MERA-C). Although the exact duration and timing of MERA-C will be established in Aim 1, the investigators anticipate that MERA-C will be the same duration as individual MERA: 4 weekly couples/dyadic therapy sessions of 45-60 minutes each.
  • Active Comparator: MERA
    Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression (MERA). 4 weekly individual therapy sessions of 45-60 minutes each.

Primary Outcome Measure

Time Line Follow Back [ Time Frame: 2 months ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SCCharlestonSouth Carolina29401-5703
Julianne C Flanagan, PhD
[email protected]
(843) 577-5011
Stacey S Sellers, MS
[email protected]
(843) 789-6703
Julianne Christina Flanagan, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

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By research site
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC· Charleston, SC

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