Dialectical Cognitive Traumatherapy (DCT) on Patients With Severe PTSD Following Sexual Abuse

Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim64 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Dialectical Cognitive Traumatherapy is effective in the treatment of severe and chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following childhood sexual abuse.

Most studies on psychological treatments for PTSD exclude patients with severe, co-occurring psychopathology. We designed a new treatment (Dialectical Cognitive Trauma Therapy, or DCT) specifically to treat these patients. DCT includes elements of emotion regulation, mindfulness exercises, cognitive and exposure treatment, as well as new elements. This randomized controlled study evaluates the effect of inpatient DCT on these patients.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Dialectical Cognitive TherapyBEHAVIORAL

Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Combination with Traumafocused CBT

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 17 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Female * Minimum age of 17 * Childhood sexual abuse * Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (criteria of SCID) * At least one of the following diagnoses: Anorexia Nervosa, or Bulimia Nervosa, or substance abuse, or substance dependence, or major depression or at least 4 out of 9 criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of schizophrenia * Mental retardation * Body Mass Index lower than 16.5 * Acute delirium * Perilous selfharming behaviour during the last 4 month * Suicide attempt with the distinct intention to die during the last 4 month * Unstability (e.g. homelessness, acute victimisation by offender) * Pretreatment by DCT

Locations (1)

Central Institute of Mental Health

Mannheim, Germany

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

PTSD Symptoms (CAPS, SCID, PDS, IESR)

Time frame: 1.5 years

Secondary Outcomes

general psychopathology

Time frame: 1.5 years

change of pain threshold

Time frame: 1.5 years

fMRI: activity of the amygdala

Time frame: 6 months

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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