Exposing Narrative Exposure Therapy

NCT05383846 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 21041
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 4
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The main purpose of the study is to further develop an existing measure of autobiographical memory integration (ABMI) to investigate and clarify the ABMI change process specific to narrative exposure therapy (NET).

Conditions

Traumatic Stress Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in autobiographical memory integration during NET intervention. A coding manual has been created by the research team to assess the posited mechanism of change- Autobiographical Memory Integration Coding Tool

  A coding manual has been created by the research team to assess the posited mechanism of change. The primary outcome (process) measure is autobiographical memory integration (ABMI) as this is a posited mechanism of change in NET. An existing coding measure (Jager et al., 2014; Lane, 2019) has been adapted for the purpose of the study, to include more areas measuring phenomenological constructs of autobiographical memory. The coding measure that has been created by the researcher will cover areas such as: Total word count of narratives (Gray \& Lombardo, 2001); disorganisation (Harvey \& Bryant, 1999)- repetition of phrases, confusion, and disjointedness; fragmentation (Foa et al., 1995)- unfinished thoughts, repetition of words, speech filler; vividness; time and place details; emotional distancing and sensory details (Boyacioglu \& Akfirat, 2014). The measure will be used to code transcripts on a session-by-session basis and is therefore a process measure (primary aim of study).

  Throughout intervention phase of the study, for approximately 24-28 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Change in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder between the baseline, NET intervention, and up to 1 month follow-up phase- as assessed by the Impact of Events Scale Revised (IES-R; Weiss & Marmar, 1997)

  Throughout the study, for approximately 32 weeks ]

• Change in depression, anxiety, and stress between the baseline, NET intervention, and up to 1 month follow-up phase- as assessed by the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DAAS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995)

  Throughout the study, for approximately 32 weeks

• Changes in heart rate and heart rate variability during the NET intervention, as assessed by the Polar H10 chest strap

  Throughout the intervention phase of the study, for approximately 24-28 weeks

• Process measure of habituation: Subjective Unit of Distress (SUD; Wolpe, 1969)

  Throughout the intervention phase of the study, for approximately 24-28 weeks

• Change in body awareness and autonomic reactivity during NET session, as assessed by the Body Perception Questionnaire Short Form - Autonomic Nervous System (Porges, 1993, 2015)

  Throughout the intervention phase of the study, for approximately 24-28 weeks ]

Other Outcomes (2)

• Change Interviews (Elliot et al., 2001)

  At 1 month follow up

• Number of Traumatic Events- The Life Events Checklist (Weathers et al., 2013).

  1 week at consent session

Study Arms (1)

Experimental: Narrative Exposure Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

This is a multiple baseline single case series design which focuses on assessing the posited exposure and autobiographical memory integration components of Narrative Exposure Therapy; no comparator will be included.

Other: Experimental Narrative Exposure Therapy

Interventions

Experimental Narrative Exposure Therapy OTHER

NET (Schauer et al., 2011) is an evidence-based, short-term, manualised treatment for complex trauma, aiming to reduce symptoms of traumatic stress in individuals. NET combines principles of CBT, Testimony Therapy, and Exposure Therapy. This is a multiple baseline single case series design which focuses on assessing the posited exposure and autobiographical memory integration components of Narrative Exposure Therapy; no comparator will be included.

Experimental: Narrative Exposure Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Between the ages of 18-65
• Are able to give fully informed consent
• Experiencing traumatic stress resulting from multiple traumatic events (no formal diagnosis of PTSD/CPTSD is needed)
• Are able to communicate verbally and are fluent in English
• Have no on-going current trauma focused therapy
• Appropriate and ready for NET
• Referred to either Step 4 Psychological Services or Centre for Trauma

You may not qualify if:

• Under the age of 18.
• Above the age of 65.
• Currently experiencing an episode of psychosis.
• Have an intellectual disability.
• Are actively suicidal.
• Are non-fluent in English.
• Are currently abusing substances.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nottingham: lead

Study Sites (1)

The University of Nottingham

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8 1BB, United Kingdom

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Traumatic

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Rachel Sabin-Farrell, PhD

  University of Nottingham

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Naturalistic, mixed-method, explanatory sequential measurement single case series design

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 25, 2022
• First Posted: May 20, 2022
• Study Start: January 14, 2022
• Primary Completion: October 30, 2022
• Study Completion: October 30, 2022
• Last Updated: August 24, 2023

Record last verified: 2022-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)