Exposure by Assessment: Effects of Daily AMQ-Based EMA of an Intrusive Trauma Memory in PTSD

NCT07658157 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: EMA_Memories
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Intrusive re-experiencing is a hallmark of PTSD. The study applies ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of participants' trauma memories (active group) vs. EMA of a neutral memory (control group) to test whether the active intervention can reduce intrusive symptoms severity and overal PTSD symptom severity in general.

Conditions

PTSD

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change from Baseline in Clinician-Rated PTSD Symptom Severity as Assessed by the CAPS-5 Total Severity Score at Post-Intervention and Follow-Up

  Clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity will be assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) total severity score. Change from baseline will be evaluated at post-intervention and follow-up. Higher CAPS-5 total severity scores indicate greater PTSD symptom severity.

  From baseline to post-intervention - 10 days; Follow-up data will be collected 15-30 days following the post-intervention assessment.

• Change from Baseline in Clinician-Rated PTSD Intrusion Symptom Severity as Assessed by the CAPS-5 Cluster B Severity Score at Post-Intervention and Follow-Up

  PTSD intrusion symptom severity will be assessed using the Cluster B severity score of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5). Cluster B includes clinician-rated symptoms of intrusive memories, distressing dreams, dissociative reactions/flashbacks, psychological distress at reminders, and physiological reactions to reminders. Change from baseline will be evaluated at post-intervention and follow-up. Higher CAPS-5 Cluster B scores indicate greater intrusion symptom severity.

  From baseline to post-intervention - 10 days; Follow-up data will be collected 15-30 days following the post-intervention assessment.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported PTSD Symptom Severity as Assessed by the PCL-5 Total Score at Post-Intervention and Follow-Up

  From baseline to post-intervention - 10 days; Follow-up data will be collected 15-30 days following the post-intervention assessment.

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported PTSD Intrusion Symptom Severity as Assessed by the PCL-5 Cluster B Score at Post-Intervention and Follow-Up

  From baseline to post-intervention - 10 days; Follow-up data will be collected 15-30 days following the post-intervention assessment.

Study Arms (2)

Neutral Memory

SHAM COMPARATOR

Participants allocated to this arm will complete AMQ-based ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) focused on an emotionally neutral memory identified at the beginning of the trial.

Other: AMQ-based ecological momentary assessment of an emotionally neutral memory

Intrusive Memories

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants allocated to this arm will complete AMQ-based ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) focused on an intrusive memory identified at the beginning of the trial.

Other: AMQ-based ecological momentary assessment of an intrusive memory

Interventions

AMQ-based ecological momentary assessment of an intrusive memory OTHER

Participants allocated to this intervention will complete daily AMQ-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) prompts for 10 days, focused on a personally identified intrusive traumatic memory. The target memory will be selected at the beginning of the trial. The EMA prompts will assess phenomenological and emotional characteristics of the memory, including features related to vividness, emotional intensity, nowness/reliving, and intrusiveness. This intervention is intended to examine whether repeated, low-burden assessment of an intrusive traumatic memory by the participant would be associated with changes in PTSD symptom severity.

Intrusive Memories

AMQ-based ecological momentary assessment of an emotionally neutral memory OTHER

Participants allocated to this intervention will complete daily AMQ-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) prompts for 10 days, focused on a personally identified neutral, non-intrusive autobiographical memory. The target memory will be selected at the beginning of the trial. The EMA prompts will be otherwise identical to those administered in the intrusive-memory arm and will assess phenomenological and emotional characteristics of the selected memory. This control intervention is intended to distinguish the effects of repeated memory-focused assessment in general from effects specific to repeated assessment of an intrusive traumatic memory.

Neutral Memory

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18-70
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• intrusive symptoms.

You may not qualify if:

• Psychotic or bipolar disorder
• Heavy use of drugs or alcohol
• Prominent personality disorder
• Significant risk of harm to self or others
• Current trauma-focused treatment
• Reporting intrusions as thoughts only rather than as memories

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tel Aviv University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv, Israel

RECRUITING

Related Publications (13)

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  PMID: 28493729 BACKGROUND

• Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Lowe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7. doi: 10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092.

  PMID: 16717171 BACKGROUND

• Sheehan DV, Lecrubier Y, Sheehan KH, Amorim P, Janavs J, Weiller E, Hergueta T, Baker R, Dunbar GC. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. J Clin Psychiatry. 1998;59 Suppl 20:22-33;quiz 34-57.

  PMID: 9881538 BACKGROUND

• Rubin DC, Schrauf RW, Greenberg DL. Belief and recollection of autobiographical memories. Mem Cognit. 2003 Sep;31(6):887-901. doi: 10.3758/bf03196443.

  PMID: 14651297 BACKGROUND

• Levi, O., Ben-Yehuda, A., Pine, D. S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2022). A sobering look at treatment effectiveness of military-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Clinical Psychological Science. Advance online publication.

  BACKGROUND

• Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep;16(9):606-13. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x.

  PMID: 11556941 BACKGROUND

• Goulart AC, Bismarchi D, Rienzo M, Syllos DH, Wang YP. Dimensions of Anger Reactions (DAR-5): a useful screening tool for anger in the general population. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract. 2021 Nov;25(4):421-429. doi: 10.1080/13651501.2020.1821893. Epub 2020 Sep 25.

  PMID: 32975451 BACKGROUND

• Cloitre M, Shevlin M, Brewin CR, Bisson JI, Roberts NP, Maercker A, Karatzias T, Hyland P. The International Trauma Questionnaire: development of a self-report measure of ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2018 Dec;138(6):536-546. doi: 10.1111/acps.12956. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

  PMID: 30178492 BACKGROUND

• Bovin MJ, Marx BP, Weathers FW, Gallagher MW, Rodriguez P, Schnurr PP, Keane TM. Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5) in veterans. Psychol Assess. 2016 Nov;28(11):1379-1391. doi: 10.1037/pas0000254. Epub 2015 Dec 14.

  PMID: 26653052 BACKGROUND

• Bastien CH, Vallieres A, Morin CM. Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index as an outcome measure for insomnia research. Sleep Med. 2001 Jul;2(4):297-307. doi: 10.1016/s1389-9457(00)00065-4.

  PMID: 11438246 BACKGROUND

• Bar-Haim Y, Stein MB, Bryant RA, Bliese PD, Ben Yehuda A, Kringelbach ML, Jain S, Dan O, Lazarov A, Wald I, Levi O, Neria Y, Pine DS. Intrusive Traumatic Reexperiencing: Pathognomonic of the Psychological Response to Traumatic Stress. Am J Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 1;178(2):119-122. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.19121231. No abstract available.

  PMID: 33517759 BACKGROUND

• Azriel O, Britton JC, Gober CD, Pine DS, Bar-Haim Y. Development and validation of the Attention Bias Questionnaire (ABQ). Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2022 Jun;31(2):e1905. doi: 10.1002/mpr.1905. Epub 2022 Mar 17.

  PMID: 35297127 BACKGROUND

• Pollmann Y, Clancy KJ, Devignes Q, Ren B, Kaufman ML, Rosso IM. Specific symptom change associated with ecological momentary assessments of intrusive trauma memories. NPP Digit Psychiatry Neurosci. 2024 Oct 30;2(1):18. doi: 10.1038/s44277-024-00019-4.

  PMID: 41360934 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Yair Bar Haim, Professor

  Tel Aviv University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Yuval Heimann, MA Student

CONTACT

+972545698181; yuvalheimann@mail.tau.ac.il

Yair Bar-Haim, PhD

CONTACT

972-52-7346610; yair1@tauex.tau.ac.il

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 14, 2026
• First Posted: June 18, 2026
• Study Start: June 14, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Last Updated: June 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IL (1)