Police officers, correctional service officers, and 911-operators are at increased risk for suffering from trauma-related disorders due to their direct and indirect exposure to life-threatening events, such as shootings, violent assaults, or car accidents, among others. Typical treatments for post-traumatic stress disorders include psychotherapy and pharmacological therapies (i.e., antidepressants). Although these interventions are effective for many sufferers, they all have limitations. Thus, the investigators propose to explore the usefulness of a new therapeutic technique, reconsolidation blockade, which involves reactivating the trauma memory while under the influence of propranolol. Objectives and hypotheses: To explore the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of reconsolidation blockade therapy as an adjunct treatment for trauma- and stressor-related disorders as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Mental Disorders-5. The investigators hypothesize that, compared to the control group, 5 weekly trauma-memory reactivations under propranolol treatment will confer a significant reduction in trauma-related symptoms and significantly more health-related economic benefits. Stress symptoms and health-related costs will be assessed at 7, 26 and 52 weeks after study inclusion. In this study, the investigators will also explore the effects of reconsolidation blockade with propranolol on various neuropsychological functions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
64
1mg / kg of propranolol hydrochloride, oral capsule
1mg / kg of matched placebo, oral capsule
Douglas Mental Health University Institute
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
RECRUITINGEuroQol five dimensions questionnaire with five-level scale
This questionnaire is a standardized instrument for measuring generic health status
Time frame: The weighted average of the questionnaire responses will be calculated over a 12 month period
Post-traumatic Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders - 5th edition (PCL-5)
Measure of trauma and stressor related symptoms
Time frame: Change from baseline (week 0) to weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 7, 26, and 52.
Hopkins Symptom Checklist - 25 (HSCL - 25).
Measure of depression and anxiety symptom severity
Time frame: Change from baseline (week 0) to weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 7, 26, and 52.
Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-OP)
Measure of severity of occupational stress
Time frame: Change from baseline (week 0) to weeks 7, 26, and 52.
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