Exposure Therapy For Veterans With PTSD And Panic Attacks

VA Office of Research and Development93 enrolled

Overview

To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of Multiple Channel Exposure Therapy-Veterans (MCET-V) as a treatment for returning service members with comorbid PTSD and panic disorder (PD). This study will examine the effectiveness of MCET-V by comparing it to Cognitive Processing Therapy, a standard PTSD treatment.

With the increasing number of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Veterans returning from war-zone areas, many will experience anxiety disorders such as PTSD and comorbid problems. Currently, about one in every six OIF/OEF Veterans experiences PTSD and co-occurring PD. Although effective treatments exist for treating one or the other, we do not yet have treatments that can simultaneously target PTSD and PD. Thus, recent attention has focused on the development of multi-component treatments that simultaneously address PTSD and PD. This study is the first systematic investigation of a time-limited, multi-component cognitive-behavioral treatment for Veterans with specific comorbid anxiety problems. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the multi-component cognitive-behavioral treatment in comparison to standard PTSD treatment in military personnel returning from active duty.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

PTSD Panic Attacks

Interventions

Multiple Channel Exposure Therapy - VeteransBEHAVIORAL

MCET-V offers individual therapy that provides psychoeducation about panic attacks and trauma and involves behavioral and cognitive exposure exercises.

Cognitive Processing TherapyBEHAVIORAL

CPT offers individual therapy that targets trauma and PTSD symptoms via cognitive restructuring.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 75 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * being a Veteran of any era; * being enrolled in the TRP at the MEDVAMC, with a current diagnosis of PTSD and PD; * being stable on psychotropic medication for 4 weeks before study participation; and * being at least 18 years of age. Exclusion Criteria: * active substance dependence, or bipolar or psychotic disorders; * severe depression and \[active suicidal ideation and intent\] (based on ADIS-IV \& BDI-II); * cognitive impairment as indicated by the SLUMS; and * Veterans currently receiving psychosocial treatment specifically targeting PTSD or panic symptoms.

Locations (1)

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX

Houston, Texas, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in PTSD Symptoms (CAPS) Between MCET-V and CPT Groups

The CAPS is a clinician-administered assessment of the presence and severity of PTSD symptoms. Scores range from 0 - 136, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

Time frame: Baseline, 1-week post-treatment and 3-month follow-up

Change in PDSS Scores Over Time for MCET-V and CPT Groups

The Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) is a clinician-rated assessment of the presence and severity of panic symptoms. Scores range from 0 - 28, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

Time frame: Baseline, 1-week post, and 3-month follow-up

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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