NCT03972579

Brief Summary

At least 1 in 5 people who sustain a concussion will have persistent symptoms and difficulties with daily activities. The researchers have identified two unhelpful coping styles following a concussion - avoidance and endurance. Individuals who engage in avoidance behavior may benefit from a different type of treatment than those who engage in endurance behavior. The researchers will evaluate whether assigning individuals to a specific psychologically-informed treatment tailored to their coping style is practical, acceptable, and beneficial for their recovery.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
64

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2019

Typical duration for not_applicable

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

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 15, 2019

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 22, 2019

Completed
12 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

June 3, 2019

Completed
1.7 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

February 15, 2021

Completed
5 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

July 1, 2021

Completed
Last Updated

November 16, 2021

Status Verified

November 1, 2021

Enrollment Period

1.8 years

First QC Date

May 22, 2019

Last Update Submit

November 15, 2021

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 12-item

    Initial assessment, past 30 days.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Rivermead Postconcussion Symptom Questionnaire

    initial assessment, past 24 hours.

Study Arms (2)

Graded exposure therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Weekly 60-min sessions with an occupational therapist and psychologist over 8 weeks.

Behavioral: Graded exposure therapy

Pacing + mindfulness

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Weekly 60-min sessions with an occupational therapist and psychologist over 8 weeks.

Behavioral: Pacing + mindfulness

Interventions

Gradually increased contact with avoided sensory stimuli (e.g., light, noise, movement) and activities (e.g., mental exertion, physical exercise, stressful activities) in order to increase tolerance.

Graded exposure therapy

Shifting from symptom-contingent to time-contingent activity stopping rules, minimizing activity level peaks (excessive endurance behavior) and valleys (prolonged periods of recuperative rest) to improve overall functioning.

Pacing + mindfulness

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 69 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Aged 18-70 years old.
  • Sustained a mild traumatic brain injury between 1 and 12 months ago.
  • Fluent in English.
  • Access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet capability.
  • + persistent moderate-severe symptoms on the Rivermead Postconcussion Symptom Questionnaire.
  • High avoidance (Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury; FAB-TBI) and/or endurance behavior (Behavioral Response to Illness Questionnaire - All-Nothing subscale).

You may not qualify if:

  • Patients with a cardiac contraindication to aerobic exercise will be excluded

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

GF Strong Rehab Centre

Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 2G9, Canada

Location

Related Publications (5)

  • Shi S, Picon EL, Rioux M, Panenka WJ, Silverberg ND. Catastrophizing is associated with excess cognitive symptom reporting after mild traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychology. 2024 Feb;38(2):126-133. doi: 10.1037/neu0000930. Epub 2023 Nov 2.

  • Mikolic A, Panenka WJ, Iverson GL, Cotton E, Burke MJ, Silverberg ND. Litigation, Performance Validity Testing, and Treatment Outcomes in Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2024 May-Jun 01;39(3):E153-E161. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000903. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

  • Terpstra AR, Louie DR, Iverson GL, Yeates KO, Picon E, Leddy JJ, Silverberg ND. Psychological Contributions to Symptom Provocation Testing After Concussion. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2023 Mar-Apr 01;38(2):E146-E155. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000796. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

  • Silverberg ND, Cairncross M, Brasher PMA, Vranceanu AM, Snell DL, Yeates KO, Panenka WJ, Iverson GL, Debert CT, Bayley MT, Hunt C, Baker A, Burke MJ; Canadian Traumatic Brain Injury Research Consortium (CTRC). Feasibility of Concussion Rehabilitation Approaches Tailored to Psychological Coping Styles: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2022 Aug;103(8):1565-1573.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.12.005. Epub 2021 Dec 28.

  • Terpstra AR, Cairncross M, Yeates KO, Vranceanu AM, Greenberg J, Hunt C, Silverberg ND. Psychological mediators of avoidance and endurance behavior after concussion. Rehabil Psychol. 2021 Nov;66(4):470-478. doi: 10.1037/rep0000390. Epub 2021 Aug 19.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Brain Concussion

Interventions

Mindfulness

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Injuries, TraumaticBrain InjuriesBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesCraniocerebral TraumaTrauma, Nervous SystemHead Injuries, ClosedWounds and InjuriesWounds, Nonpenetrating

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyBehavior TherapyPsychotherapyBehavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

  • Noah Silverberg, PhD

    University of British Columbia

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 22, 2019

First Posted

June 3, 2019

Study Start

May 15, 2019

Primary Completion

February 15, 2021

Study Completion

July 1, 2021

Last Updated

November 16, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-11

Locations