NCT01601067

Brief Summary

Comorbidity of alcohol use disorder (AD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common. Currently available treatments often do not lead to sustained recovery from these disorders, possibly because they typically do not include exposure therapy which is considered best practice treatments for PTSD. This study compares exposure-based integrated treatment to integrated coping skills psychotherapy (a well disseminated practice) for comorbid AD and PTSD with the hypothesis that exposure therapy will allow those with PTSD to better sustain PTSD symptom reduction and reduction in alcohol use. The aim of this grant is to change common treatment practices for comorbid AD and PTSD by increasing the availability of evidence-based PTSD treatment for those with AD.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
168

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2013

Longer than P75 for phase_2

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 28, 2012

Completed
3 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 17, 2012

Completed
8 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 21, 2013

Completed
5.2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 30, 2018

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 30, 2018

Completed
1.4 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

August 8, 2019

Completed
Last Updated

August 8, 2019

Status Verified

August 1, 2019

Enrollment Period

5.2 years

First QC Date

February 28, 2012

Results QC Date

June 6, 2019

Last Update Submit

August 5, 2019

Conditions

Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorderpsychotherapyalcoholism

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)

    The CAPS-5 (score range, 0-80, with 0 indicating no PTSD symptoms and 80 indicating extreme ratings across all symptoms), a 30-item structured interview considered to be the criterion standard for PTSD, was the primary measure of PTSD symptoms and diagnosis. Diagnosis was determined using the rule of a severity score of 2 or higher, which follows DSM-5 PTSD criteria.

    baseline through 6 month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Timeline Follow-Back Procedure (TLFB) for Alcohol Use

    baseline to 6-month follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Arm 1: Integrated Prolonged Exposure Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Integrated Prolonged exposure Psychotherapy (I-PE; PE integrated with elements of Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for alcohol use disorder)

Behavioral: Integrated Prolonged Exposure Therapy

Arm 2: Seeking Safety

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Seeking Safety

Behavioral: Seeking Safety

Interventions

Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is an evidence based practice for the treatment of PTSD. Components of PE included education about PTSD and exposure to avoided reminders of trauma.

Also known as: I-PE
Arm 1: Integrated Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Seeking SafetyBEHAVIORAL

Seeking Safety (SS) teaching coping skills in behavioral, cognitive, and interpersonal domains so that people are able to make safe choices rather than drinking or PTSD-related behaviors such as avoidance.

Also known as: SS
Arm 2: Seeking Safety

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Veterans who were victims of psychological trauma that occurred in childhood or adulthood.
  • At least one month post-trauma.
  • Age 18 or older.
  • Meeting diagnostic criteria for current alcohol dependence and PTSD.
  • Literate in English.
  • Intend to stay in San Diego during study participation.
  • Willing to attend psychotherapy and measurement sessions.
  • Willing to stay cut down alcohol use significantly during treatment.

You may not qualify if:

  • Moderate or severe cognitive impairment on the Brief Neuropsychological (NP) Assessment Battery as this may interfere with ability to benefit from treatment.
  • Acutely suicidal individuals will be referred for more appropriate treatment.
  • Histories of psychosis or mania independent of substance use will be excluded because the presence of these disorders can impede therapy progress.
  • Individuals who use intravenous drugs will be excluded.
  • Participants who do not have adequate memory of the trauma will be excluded because such memory is necessary for exposure therapy.
  • Only Veterans residing within 50 miles of the site will be included.
  • Those with life threatening or unstable medical illness, documented neurological disorder, or inability to read will be excluded.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA

San Diego, California, 92161, United States

Location

Related Publications (6)

  • Lyons R, Helm J, Luciano M, Haller M, Norman SB. The role of posttraumatic cognitions in integrated treatments for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder. Psychol Trauma. 2024 Dec;16(Suppl 3):S532-S539. doi: 10.1037/tra0001540. Epub 2023 Jun 29.

  • Marx BP, Lee DJ, Norman SB, Bovin MJ, Sloan DM, Weathers FW, Keane TM, Schnurr PP. Reliable and clinically significant change in the clinician-administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 among male veterans. Psychol Assess. 2022 Feb;34(2):197-203. doi: 10.1037/pas0001098. Epub 2021 Dec 23.

  • Tripp JC, Haller M, Trim RS, Straus E, Bryan CJ, Davis BC, Lyons R, Hamblen JL, Norman SB. Does exposure exacerbate symptoms in veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder? Psychol Trauma. 2021 Nov;13(8):920-928. doi: 10.1037/tra0000634. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

  • Tripp JC, Angkaw A, Schnurr PP, Trim RS, Haller M, Davis BC, Norman SB. Residual Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder Following Integrated Exposure Treatment Versus Coping Skills Treatment. J Trauma Stress. 2020 Aug;33(4):477-487. doi: 10.1002/jts.22552. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

  • Capone C, Tripp JC, Trim RS, Davis BC, Haller M, Norman SB. Comparing Exposure- and Coping Skills-Based Treatments on Trauma-Related Guilt in Veterans With Co-Occurring Alcohol Use and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders. J Trauma Stress. 2020 Aug;33(4):603-609. doi: 10.1002/jts.22538. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

  • Norman SB, Trim R, Haller M, Davis BC, Myers US, Colvonen PJ, Blanes E, Lyons R, Siegel EY, Angkaw AC, Norman GJ, Mayes T. Efficacy of Integrated Exposure Therapy vs Integrated Coping Skills Therapy for Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019 Aug 1;76(8):791-799. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.0638.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAlcoholism

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress Disorders, TraumaticTrauma and Stressor Related DisordersMental DisordersAlcohol-Related DisordersSubstance-Related DisordersChemically-Induced Disorders

Limitations and Caveats

\- Mostly male veteran sample

Results Point of Contact

Title
Sonya Norman, PhD
Organization
VA San Diego

Study Officials

  • Sonya B. Norman, PhD

    VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
Yes
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
FED
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 28, 2012

First Posted

May 17, 2012

Study Start

January 21, 2013

Primary Completion

March 30, 2018

Study Completion

March 30, 2018

Last Updated

August 8, 2019

Results First Posted

August 8, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-08

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Not in our approval.

Locations