Art Therapy and Emotional Well Being in Military Populations With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
1 other identifier
interventional
40
1 country
2
Brief Summary
Art therapy is used across the Military Health System for treatment of posttraumatic symptoms, but there is limited research on how art therapy is able to restore emotional expression and regulation in service members. This research hopes to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the neurological systems at work. If a participant chooses to be in this study, he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session will be an interview and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. The following eight sessions will be one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The tenth session will consist of the same self-assessment questionnaires and another MRI scan. The final session will consist of some of the same questionnaires from the tenth visit, as well as a qualitative interview done virtually three months after the tenth visit.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable
Started Feb 2022
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
2 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
December 15, 2021
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
February 1, 2022
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
June 10, 2022
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
December 1, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 1, 2027
January 8, 2026
August 1, 2025
4.8 years
December 15, 2021
January 6, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
The Primary Outcome Measure is analysis of functional neuroimaging metrics
The primary outcome measure is the analysis of resting state and task based functional MRI data which include but functional connectivity measures between brain regions at rest and during the task as well as functional activation patterns during the task. MRI and a series of task based fMRI sequences.
Baseline
The Primary Outcome Measure is analysis of functional neuroimaging metrics
The primary outcome measure is the analysis of resting state and task based functional MRI data which include but functional connectivity measures between brain regions at rest and during the task as well as functional activation patterns during the task. MRI and a series of task based fMRI sequences.
Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Secondary Outcomes (23)
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
Baseline
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
Baseline
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
Study completion, an average of six to eight months
- +18 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (1)
Art Therapy Arm
EXPERIMENTAL8 weeks of individual art therapy
Interventions
During the art research intervention session, the art therapist will walk you through the creation of various types of art and may spend time asking you about the artwork, how you are felling, as well as your past experiences.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- DEERS Eligible
- Active Duty or Veteran separated within the past 10 years
- Significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (score of \>/=31 on the PCL-5)
You may not qualify if:
- History of moderate, severe, or penetrating brain injury
- History of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or active suicidal or homicidal ideation
- History of multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, or Alzheimer's disease
- History of stroke or myocardial infarction
- History of brain tumor
- History of seizures
- Contradictions for MRI (for example, participants will be excluded for pregnancy, metal implants or suspected shrapnel, aneurysm/intracranial clips, cardiac pacemakers or implanted programmable devices or pumps)
- Unable to provide informed consent
- History of previous exposure to art therapy
- Active substance use disorder
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (2)
National Intrepid Center of Excellence
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814, United States
ISC at Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 22060, United States
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Chandler Rhodes, PhD
WRNMMC
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- NA
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- SINGLE GROUP
- Sponsor Type
- FED
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
December 15, 2021
First Posted
June 10, 2022
Study Start
February 1, 2022
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 1, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
December 1, 2027
Last Updated
January 8, 2026
Record last verified: 2025-08
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share