Effects of Narrative Writing Duration and Post-writing Processing Instructions on PTSD

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The current study proposes to directly measure how processing after participating in written disclosure about a traumatic life event affects physical and psychological outcomes.

Detailed Description
-----------------
Previous research has established the potential for narrative writing about traumatic events to result in positive benefits for physical and psychological health. Research has also provided evidence that written disclosure may reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Several mechanisms of action have been proposed to explain why written disclosure produces positive benefits, but all have focused on processes occurring during the writing session. It has been suggested, however, that additional processing may occur after the writing exercises are over, yet no research has studied the influence of this processing on outcomes. The current study proposes to directly measure how processing after participating in written disclosure affects physical and psychological outcomes.

Official Title
-----------------
Effects of Narrative Writing Duration and Post-writing Processing Instructions on PTSD

Conditions
-----------------
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Narrative Writing: Trauma-Assigned
* Behavioral: Narrative Writing: Trauma-Spontaneous


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Experienced a traumatic life event (DSM-IV-TR Criterion A) Currently experiencing clinically significant levels of PTSD symptoms Exclusion Criteria: Currently receiving psychotherapy On medication that is not stable (i.e. medication has been changed within the past 6 weeks)

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Individuals will write objectively about the events of their day. | |
| Experimental: Narrative Writing: Trauma-Assigned<br>Trauma-assigned: Individuals will write about their most traumatic life experience and be instructed to continue to think about their writing topic in the weeks following writing. | Behavioral: Narrative Writing: Trauma-Assigned<br>* Individuals will be writing about their most traumatic life event for 3 consecutive days for 20 minutes each. Those in the assigned group will be given instructions and weekly reminders to continue to think about their most traumatic event.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Narrative Writing: Trauma-Spontaneous<br>Individuals will write about their most traumatic life experience but will not be given further instructions for processing. Any additional processing about their writing topic in the weeks following writing will be considered spontaneous. | Behavioral: Narrative Writing: Trauma-Spontaneous<br>* Individuals will be writing about their most traumatic life event for 3 consecutive days for 20 minutes each. Those in the spontaneous group will be given no further instructions.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Level of PTSD symptoms as measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale |  | 1 month after final writing session | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Physical health | Physical health as measured by the Pennebaker Inventory of Limibic Languidness (PILL) | 1 month after final writing session | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Narrative Writing