Attention Bias Modification Treatment for Warzone-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Creighton University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification Training Protocol

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01564667

11-16311

Details and patient eligibility

About

Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will be randomly assigned to either Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT) designed to reduce bias toward threat or a placebo control condition not designed to change attention patterns. Outcome measures will be PTSD, anxiety, depression, and alexithymia symptoms as measured by standard psychological interviews and questionnaires. Participants will also be invited to participate in physiological testing before and after receiving AMBT or placebo to serve as additional outcome measures and assess brain functioning, heart rate, and muscle tension.

The investigators expect to see significant PTSD symptom reduction in the Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT) group relative to the placebo control group in which no symptomatic relief is expected. At the end of the study, if ABMT is shown to be effective, we will offer active ABMT to those participants randomly assigned to the placebo arm if they would like to receive the treatment.

Enrollment: 51 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 19 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) serving in United States Military after March 20, 2003.

Exclusion criteria

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Head Injury with Loss of Consciousness for more than 30 minutes
• Active Alcohol/Substance Dependence in past 6 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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51 participants in 2 patient groups

Attention Bias Modification Treatment

Experimental group

Description:

Attention bias modification training using a computerized spatial attention task (dot-probe) designed to alter threat-bias attention patterns away from threat.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification Training Protocol

Attentional Control Training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Attention control training using a computerized spatial attention taks (dot-probe) counter balances training toward and away from threat.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification Training Protocol