Attentional Bias Retraining in Veterans (ABR)

VA Pacific Islands Health Care System

Status: Completed

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Attentional bias retraining

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT02041572

2012-05/MM/PROMISE 0001

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study has two goals. First to develop a computer-based intervention meant to alter cognitive biases that contribute to ongoing PTSD symptoms. Second, we sought to pilot test the intervention in a small sample of veterans for feasibility and acceptability.

Full description

Aim 1: Develop Attentional Bias Retraining protocol (Phase 1)

• 1.1 Computerized assessment & retraining programs
• 1.2 Procedures and measures

Aim 2: Implement in pilot sample (Phase 2)

• 2.1: Assess feasibility and tolerability
• 2.2: Collect pilot data to plan future studies
• 2.3: Efficacy estimates based on changes in response time to dot probe task

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 89 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participated in ground combat operations in Vietnam
• Scored 40 - 80 on PTSD Checklist - Military version
• Availability and willingness to attend 2x weekly computer sessions for 6 weeks

Exclusion criteria

• Active substance dependence
• Significant cognitive impairment
• Current and active suicidal or homicidal ideation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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22 participants in 1 patient group

Attentional Bias Retraining

Other group

Description:

Each participant receives 12 sessions. The first three sessions are baseline (assessment only) sessions. The last four sessions must be treatment sessions. The attentional bias intervention starts randomly on sessions 4 - 8, and continues until the end of the 12 sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attentional bias retraining