Art therapy is used across the Military Health System for treatment of posttraumatic symptoms, but there is limited research on how art therapy is able to restore emotional expression and regulation in service members. This research hopes to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the neurological systems at work. If a participant chooses to be in this study, he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session will be an interview and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. The following eight sessions will be one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The tenth session will consist of the same self-assessment questionnaires and another MRI scan. The final session will consist of some of the same questionnaires from the tenth visit, as well as a qualitative interview done virtually three months after the tenth visit.
Art Therapy is used across the Military Health System (MHS) as part of interdisciplinary treatment programs with great success, but there is limited research on how this art therapy works. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the impact of art therapy on brain systems. If a participant chooses to be in this study he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session and tenth sessions of this research study will include interviews and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. These sessions will be about 2.5 to 3 hours. The sessions two through nine will include a one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The art therapy sessions are also considered research interventions. The eleventh and final session will consist of some of the same questionnaires from the tenth visit, as well as a qualitative interview done virtually three months after the tenth visit. There is the risk that participants may experience increased psychological or emotional distress or frustration when discussing traumatic events during either the art research intervention sessions or during the questionnaires or interviews. Participants may experience a reduction in symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress (PTS), mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and/or other psychological heath disorders through the art therapy process. However, there is no guarantee that participants will benefit from being in this research. As an alternative to this research, participants can talk to your physician about art therapy or other therapeutic options.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
40
During the art research intervention session, the art therapist will walk you through the creation of various types of art and may spend time asking you about the artwork, how you are felling, as well as your past experiences.
National Intrepid Center of Excellence
Bethesda, Maryland, United States
RECRUITINGISC at Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States
RECRUITINGThe Primary Outcome Measure is analysis of functional neuroimaging metrics
The primary outcome measure is the analysis of resting state and task based functional MRI data which include but functional connectivity measures between brain regions at rest and during the task as well as functional activation patterns during the task. MRI and a series of task based fMRI sequences.
Time frame: Baseline
The Primary Outcome Measure is analysis of functional neuroimaging metrics
The primary outcome measure is the analysis of resting state and task based functional MRI data which include but functional connectivity measures between brain regions at rest and during the task as well as functional activation patterns during the task. MRI and a series of task based fMRI sequences.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
A 20-item instrument that measures alexithymia defined as trouble identifying and describing emotions. A 20-item instrument that measures alexithymia defined as trouble identifying and describing emotions. Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale whereby 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree.
Time frame: Baseline
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
A 20-item instrument that measures alexithymia defined as trouble identifying and describing emotions. Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale whereby 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by that problem in the past month". Items are rated on a scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely")
Time frame: Baseline
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by that problem in the past month". Items are rated on a scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely")
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by that problem in the past month". Items are rated on a scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely")
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI)
A self-reported questionnaire that measures common post concussive symptoms. The severity of each symptom as experienced in the last two weeks is rated on a scale (0) none to (4) very severe
Time frame: Baseline
Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI)
A self-reported questionnaire that measures common post concussive symptoms. The severity of each symptom as experienced in the last two weeks is rated on a scale (0) none to (4) very severe
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI)
A self-reported questionnaire that measures common post concussive symptoms. The severity of each symptom as experienced in the last two weeks is rated on a scale (0) none to (4) very severe
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES)
A self-report questionnaire that predicts coping with and adapting to stressful life event. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is measured on a scale of 1 (not true at all) to 4 (exactly true).
Time frame: Baseline
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES)
A self-report questionnaire that predicts coping with and adapting to stressful life event. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is measured on a scale of 1 (not true at all) to 4 (exactly true).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES)
A self-report questionnaire that predicts coping with and adapting to stressful life event. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is measured on a scale of 1 (not true at all) to 4 (exactly true).
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
A self-rated questionnaire that screens for generalized anxiety disorder. A recommended threshold for further evaluation is a score of 10 or greater
Time frame: Baseline
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
A self-rated questionnaire that screens for generalized anxiety disorder. A recommended threshold for further evaluation is a score of 10 or greater
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
A self-rated questionnaire that screens for generalized anxiety disorder. A recommended threshold for further evaluation is a score of 10 or greater
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame: Baseline
Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the level of perceived stress for a participant. How often the participant experiences each event is rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (very often).
Time frame: Baseline
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the level of perceived stress for a participant. How often the participant experiences each event is rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (very often).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the level of perceived stress for a participant. How often the participant experiences each event is rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (very often).
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ-II)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the strength of the client therapist alliance. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree)
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Moral Injury Events Scale (MIES)
A self-report survey that measures potentially morally injurious events. Each phrase is reacted on a Likert scale of 1 (Strongly Agree) to 6 (strongly disagree).
Time frame: Baseline
Moral Injury Events Scale (MIES)
A self-report survey that measures potentially morally injurious events. Each phrase is reacted on a Likert scale of 1 (Strongly Agree) to 6 (strongly disagree).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
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