Intrusive memories represent a debilitating core feature of PTSD, one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders following trauma. Exposure therapy is amongst the most successful treatments of PTSD that is recommended by most of the current national and international guidelines. The current study aims to test whether sleep as adjunct to written exposure sessions, a type of exposure- based treatment for PTSD, may boost the effectiveness of the therapy.
Intrusive memories represent a debilitating core feature of PTSD, one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders following trauma. Exposure therapy is amongst the most successful treatments of PTSD that is recommended by most of the current national and international guidelines. However, not all patients benefit equally and only about 50% show sustained response. There is thus room for improvement in terms of (i) better understanding who benefits from this type of therapy and (ii) possible ways of augmenting existing trauma-focused therapies. The current study aims to contribute to these endevours. Specifically, the study aims to test whether sleep as adjunct to written exposure sessions, a type of exposure- based treatment for PTSD, may boost the effectiveness of the therapy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
42
Participants sleep after a maximum of three sessions of exposure therapy.
Psychiatric University Hospital
Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
Clinician- assessed Posttraumatic stress symptom severity at 1 week
Clinician- assessed PTSD symptom severity (CAPS- 5)
Time frame: One week post- treatment
Self-reported Posttraumatic stress symptom severity at 1 week
Self - reported PTSD symptom severity (PCL-5)
Time frame: One week post- treatment
Clinician- assessed Posttraumatic stress symptom severity at 1 month
Clinician- assessed PTSD symptom severity (CAPS- 5)
Time frame: One month post- treatment
Self-reported Posttraumatic stress symptom severity at 1 month
Self - reported PTSD symptom severity (PCL-5)
Time frame: One month post- treatment
Total sleep time
Total sleep time according to EEG
Time frame: Immediately after written exposure therapy
Time spent in N1 sleep
N1 time according to EEG
Time frame: Immediately after written exposure therapy
Time spent in N2 sleep
N2 time according to EEG
Time frame: Immediately after written exposure therapy
Time spent in N3 sleep
N3 time according to EEG
Time frame: Immediately after written exposure therapy
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.