Imagery Rescripting for Pathological Affective Dependence and Intimate Partner Violence

NCT06670326 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: FMG-10908
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 18
• Locations: 2 countries
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

The goal of this multiple baseline case series study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Imagery Rescripting for Pathological Affective Dependence (PAD) in victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The primary research questions are: Does Imagery Rescripting reduce PAD and/or commitment to the abusive relationship after separation? Does Imagery Rescripting also reduce traumatic symptoms? Does Imagery Rescripting improve general mental health, self-compassion, and resilience in IPV victims? Participants will undergo a waiting period of 5-9 weeks (to assess time effects without treatment), followed by 4 weekly preparation sessions, 12 weekly Imagery Rescripting sessions, and 1 month of post-treatment. Throughout the study, participants will rate the severity of PAD and relational commitment on a weekly basis. They will also complete more detailed questionnaires assessing mental health, traumatic symptoms, resilience, and self-compassion before each phase, at 1 month post-treatment, 3 months post-treatment, and during follow-ups at 6 and 12 months.

Conditions

Pathological Affective Dependence

Keywords

Imagery Rescripting; Pathological Affective Dependence; Treatment; intimate partner violence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Pathological Affective Dependence Scale (PADS)

  The PADS (Pugliese et al., 2024) is a 17-item Likert-type scale designed to assess both the state and trait manifestations of Pathological Affective Dependence (PAD), particularly focusing on the factors that compel individuals to remain in abusive relationships. These factors include internal conflict, the inability to separate from an abusive partner, and experiences of partner abuse. The scale is administered twice, with instructions tailored to measure both state and trait PAD. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, where 1 = not at all, 2 = slightly, 3 = sometimes, 4 = often, and 5 = always.

  22-32 weeks plus 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

• Relational Commitment (RC)

  The seven items of the Relationship Commitment scale (Rusbult, Martz, \& Agnew, 1998) include the following items: for example, "I am committed to maintaining my relationship with my partner"; "I want our relationship to last for a very long time"; "I feel very attached to our relationship". Responses are rated on an 8-point scale ranging from 1 (Do not agree at all) to 8 (Agree completely).

  22-32 weeks plus 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 and PHQ-15)

  before baseline, before preparatory sessions, before ImRs treatment, 4 weeks after ImRs treatment, 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

• Self-compassion Scale short (SCs)

  before baseline, before preparatory sessions, before ImRs treatment, 4 weeks after ImRs treatment, 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

• Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB-S)

  before baseline, before preparatory sessions, before ImRs treatment, 4 weeks after ImRs treatment, 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

• The Brief Resilience Scale (RSb)

  before baseline, before preparatory sessions, before ImRs treatment, 4 weeks after ImRs treatment, 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)

  before baseline, before preparatory sessions, before ImRs treatment, 4 weeks after ImRs treatment, 3, 6 and 12 months follow-ups

Other Outcomes (1)

• patients' experiences

  4 weeks after end of treatment

Study Arms (1)

Baseline-Preparation-Imagery Rescripting-Post Treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

Each participant follows this sequence: (1) 5-9 weeks waitlist during which no treatment is offered; (2) 4 weekly preparatory sessions. During these sessions the rationale of ImRs will be explained in more detail and a list of painful (childhood) memories to be addressed with ImRs is to be compiled, based on any further input from the patient; and a case conceptualization is made; (3) 12 sessions (45-60 minutes) of ImRs will be offered to participating patients. The ImRs treatment will be based upon the protocol described by Arntz \& Weertman (1999). This protocol can be modified to tailor the needs of this study more specifically. (4) After end of active treatment (ImRs) 4 weeks follow during which only weekly assessments are done.

Behavioral: Imagery Rescripting

Interventions

Imagery Rescripting BEHAVIORAL

Experimental: Baseline-Preparation-Imagery Rescripting-Post Treatment Each participant follows this sequence: (1) 5-9 weeks waitlist during which no treatment is offered; (2) 4 weekly preparatory sessions. During these sessions the rationale of ImRs will be explained in more detail and a list of painful (childhood) memories to be addressed with ImRs is to be compiled, based on any further input from the patient; and a case conceptualization is made; (3) 12 sessions (45-60 minutes) of ImRs will be offered to participating patients. The treatment for PAD will be based upon the protocol described by Arntz \& Weertman (1999); (4) After end of active treatment (ImRs) 4 weeks follow during which only weekly assessments are done.

Also known as: ImRs

Baseline-Preparation-Imagery Rescripting-Post Treatment

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Experience of IPV (from a clinical interview)
• Pathological Affective Dependence scale (PADS - Trait, State). As a prerequisite for PAD treatment and study participation, victims of IPV are required to establish a contact with the anti-violence center or shelters to receive co-assistance. The anti-violence center will take care of his/her physical safety and legal aspects.

You may not qualify if:

• Comorbidity with the following diagnoses: psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (conditions derived from a clinical interview or previous diagnostic reports), dissociative disorders (Dissociative Experience Scale, DES).
• Organic brain disease
• Intelligence Quotient (IQ) \< 80
• High risk of self-harm or suicide
• Current substance abuse severe level
• Start of new medication within 2 months before beginning the study (medication used for longer periods can be continued; patients are requested to keep medication stable during the course of the study)
• Having received ImRs (either as a stand-alone or embedded in a greater treatment such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or schema therapy) within the last year
• No other evidence-based treatment of MDD is allowed during the study.
• Not able to plan enough time for weekly therapy sessions (45-60 minutes); weekly measurements (estimate of 5 minutes) and other measurements (estimate of 20 minutes); and the qualitative post-treatment interview (estimate of 60 minutes) during the study period.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Amsterdam: lead
• VU University of Amsterdam: collaborator
• Stichting Achmea Slachtoffer en Samenleving: collaborator

Study Sites (3)

Associazione Italiana Di Psicoterapia Cognitiva - Aipc

Bari, Italy, 70125, Italy

Location

Sterk Huis

Amsterdam, Goirle, Rillaersebaan 75 5053 EA, Netherlands

Location

University of Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Location

Study Officials

• Erica Pugliese, PhD

  University of Amsterdam

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Erica Pugliese, PhD

CONTACT

+31 (0)20 525 6810; e.pugliese@uva.nl

Arnold van Emmerik, PhD

CONTACT

+31 (0)20 525 8604; a.a.p.vanemmerik@uva.nl

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: The investigator will not have access to assignment of participants to waitlist length and the data until data collection is complete.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Multiple baseline case series design: by randomizing participants to different lengths of waitlist (baseline) and comparing means and slopes of weekly reported Pathological Affective Dependence severity and mental health measures, the effectiveness of the treatment is tested.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 17, 2024
• First Posted: November 1, 2024
• Study Start: February 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2025
• Study Completion: February 1, 2026
• Last Updated: November 1, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

NL (2); IT (1)