Empowering Perinatal Adolescents Through Writing

The main goal of this research study is to investigate whether a short trauma-focused therapy involving writing is something teens and young adults who are pregnant or recently had a baby and have symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are able to complete. This study is specifically examining the feasibility and acceptability of Written Exposure Therapy (WET) as a treatment in this population. WET is a type of therapy where people write about a traumatic experience they have gone through, and their feelings about the event. Doing this over several sessions may help some people reduce how distressing the memory is to them over time.

In addition, this study aims to investigate if WET can reduce symptoms related to PTSD in teens and young adults who are pregnant or have had a baby in the last year. The study will also explore if it is possible to gather enough information on measurements like heart rate and sleep patterns with smart watches in the same population, to look at brain patterns before and after the therapy, and to see if WET can improve emotions, functioning, and relationships in pregnant and post-partum individuals.

Prior to initiating the course of WET, participants will undergo screening procedures to evaluate eligibility. Those eligible will complete 5 sessions of written exposure therapy, one session per week and biomarker data will be collected via a wearable device. Participants will also undergo optional electroencephalography (EEG) as well as self-report and clinician-rated assessments. Follow-up visits will be conducted at 4, 8 and 12 weeks post-baseline (post-treatment for WET), with weekly assessments.

The baseline visit must be done in-person in order to set up the smart watch. If participants choose to undergo electroencephalography, they will be required to come in-person for the procedure.

Inclusion criteria

• Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
• Have been referred by a clinician to the study or receiving standard of care treatment for pregnancy or post-partum follow-up
• Aged 15-24 at time of screening
• Either have Gestational age >12 weeks or be <1 year postpartum at time of screening
• Able and willing to provide informed consent if 18 years of age or above or the legal guardian must be able and willing to provide informed consent if participant is less than 18 years of age and participant willing and able to provide assent if less than 18 years of age
• Able to read, write and speak in English and Spanish; if the participant is under age 18, parents must be able to understand spoken or written English or Spanish.
• Have the ability to complete clinical evaluations and self-report measures.
• Meet diagnostic or subthreshold criteria for PTSD.

Exclusion criteria

• Have any condition for which, in the opinion of the investigator or designee, study participation would not be in their best interest (including but not limited to cognitive impairment, unstable general medical condition, intoxication, active psychosis) or that could prevent, limit, or confound the protocol-specified assessments.
• Have current mania, hypomania, or psychosis
• Be at serious suicidal risk that cannot be managed in the outpatient setting
• Pervasive or intellectual developmental disorder requiring substantial or very substantial support.
• Currently receiving or having received course of exposure-based therapy (e.g. WET, PE, CPT, or TF-CBT) in the past six months