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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05031728

Cognitive Processing Therapy for Syrian Patients With PTSD

Background: Studies among Syrian refugees showed high prevalence rates of PTSD. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) in treating patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using a clinical trial. Methods: Data will be obtained through interviewing patients seeking for PTSD treatment. Patients will be interviewed by a clinician and asked to complete the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3-, and 12-months posttreatment. The primary outcomes will be the scores of CAPS, BDI-II, and BAI. Results: we predict that CPT will result in greater reductions in CAPS scores.

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Key information

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Mental Disorders Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The British university in Egypt

Cairo, 11837, Egypt

About this study

Although individuals with PTSD experience significant suffering, disability, and a challenging clinical course, there are still significant gaps in the evidence addressing effective treatment options. Therefore, in the current study CPT will determine the effectiveness in treating Syrian patients with PTSD. Current study significantly adds to the existing literature. It is a novel study in Egypt and adds to the literature.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Their nationalities are Syrians

  • age older than 18 years and younger than 65,
  • patients meeting current diagnostic criteria for PTSD as defined in DSM-5
  • have a good knowledge of English-language (reading, writing, and comprehension) because all assessments and therapy materials were in English

Exclusion criteria

  • having mental retardation
  • having schizophrenia (or any other psychotic disorders).

Treatment and study plan

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

Behavioral

Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) (Resick et al., 2016) which is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that has been effective in reducing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that may have developed after experiencing a variety of traumatic events including child abuse, emotional abuse, combat, rape war, and natural disasters. CPT helps patients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma and emotional pain. In so doing, the client creates a new understanding and conceptualization of the traumatic event so that it reduces its ongoing negative effects on current life.

Primary outcomes

  1. assessing change in CAPS-5 scores between three time points

    Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), posttreatment (immediately after the intervention), 12-months after the intervention

    Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5; Weathers et al., 2015) is currently the gold- standard assessment for PTSD and is used to assess PTSD's symptoms at pre-intervention, immediately post- intervention, and 12-month after the intervention. This 30-item structured interview was developed by staff at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. The interview can generally be administered in 45-60 minutes. Each question in CAPS asks about both the frequency and the severity of each PTSD symptom. These questions are split into categories. Each criterion has several questions, and scores for each criterion are added up at the end. The CAPS-5 has demonstrated strong psychometric properties (Weathers, et al., 2018).

Secondary outcomes

  1. assessing change in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) scores between three time points

    Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), posttreatment (immediately after the intervention), 12-months after the intervention

    Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II): was used to evaluate the change in the severity of depressive symptoms between three time points. BDI-II is a 21-item, self-report rating inventory that measures characteristic attitudes and symptoms of depression (Beck, et al., 1996). The BDI takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Depression levels were defined as follows: minimal range = 0- 13, mild depression = 14-19, moderate depression = 20-28, and severe depression = 29- 63.

  2. assessing change in Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores between three time points

    Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), posttreatment (immediately after the intervention), 12-months after the intervention

    Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI): was used to evaluate the change in the severity of anxiety severity between three time points.

    BAI was developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck and it is a brief measure of anxiety with a focus on somatic symptoms of anxiety such as nervousness, dizziness, inability to relax (Beck et al., 1988). It has a total of 21 items that takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Answers are on a 4-point Likert scale and range from 0 (not at all) to 3 (severely). The values for each item are summed yielding an overall or total score for all 21 symptoms that can range between 0 and 63 points. A total score of 0 - 7 is interpreted as a "Minimal" level of anxiety; 8 - 15 as "Mild"; 16 -25 as "Moderate", and 26 - 63 as "Severe".

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

British University In Egypt

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive Processing Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Syrian Patients

Acronym: CPT4Syrians

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2021
First posted
Sep 2, 2021
Registry last updated
Sep 2, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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