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Behavioral Intervention

Cognitive Training for PTSD (CCTPTSD Trial)

N/A

Waitlist Available

Led By Maya Elin O'Neil, PhD MS

Research Sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Eligible Veterans must meet DSM-5 criteria for PTSD with evidence-based PTSD treatment participation within the past 2 years

Be older than 18 years old

Must not have

No history of traumatic brain injury (of any severity) or another major medical condition likely to significantly impact cognitive functioning such as stroke, MS, Parkinson's, or a brain tumor

Not currently participating in any type of brain stimulation treatment

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up change from baseline to 3 and 6 months

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing whether an intervention called compensatory cognitive training (CCT) is effective in improving cognitive functioning in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Who is the study for?

This trial is for English-speaking Veterans with PTSD who've had treatment in the last 2 years and still struggle with cognitive issues like memory, attention, or decision-making. They must have a mental health provider and not suffer from severe psychiatric disorders, substance dependence (recent), major brain injuries, or conditions affecting cognition.

What is being tested?

The study tests Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) against usual care to see if CCT can help veterans with PTSD improve their cognitive skills such as concentration and memory. It's a pilot randomized controlled trial preparing for a larger future study.

What are the potential side effects?

Since this trial involves cognitive training rather than medication, traditional side effects are not expected. However, participants may experience frustration or fatigue during training exercises.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

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I am a veteran diagnosed with PTSD and have been in treatment within the last 2 years.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

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I have no history of severe brain injuries or diseases affecting my brain function.

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I am not undergoing any brain stimulation treatments.

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I do not have major hearing or vision problems.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ change from baseline to 3 and 6 months

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~change from baseline to 3 and 6 months

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and change from baseline to 3 and 6 months for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II; Delis et al., 2000)

Controlled Oral Word Association Test (Benton, Hamsher, & Sivan, 1983)

Halstead Reitan Trailmaking Test (Trails A & B; Reitan & Wolfson, 1985)

+7 more

Secondary study objectives

Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI; Sheehan et al., 2006)

PTSD Checklist (PCL-5; Weathers et al., 2013)

Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; Spitzer, Kroenke, & Williams, 1999)

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT)Experimental Treatment1 Intervention

Compensatory Cognitive Training draws from the theoretical literature on compensatory strategy training for other cognitively impaired populations (e.g., Huckans et al., 2013; Twamley et al., 2010; Storzbach et al., 2016). It is a rehabilitation model that aims to teach individuals strategies that allow them to work around cognitive deficits. Consistent with this model and the expert recommendations for civilians and Service members with TBI (Cicerone, 2011), manualized CCT treatment provides training in compensatory attention and learning/memory skills, formal problem-solving strategies applied to daily problems, and the use of external aids such as calendar systems and assistive devices to promote completion of daily tasks (Storzbach et al., 2016).

Group II: Treatment as Usual (TAU)Active Control1 Intervention

All TAU participants have an ongoing VA mental health provider and received ongoing mental health care during the course of the study (generally weekly individual or group sessions focusing on evidence-based PTSD treatment).

0 / 4Eligibility criteria met