Somatic Complaints of Multiple TypesISTDPEDNCT00833742
Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) in the Emergency Department
A study testing Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in people with Somatic Complaints of Multiple Types, run by Nova Scotia Health Authority at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
Objective: Somatization of emotions accounts for excess Emergency department (ED) visits. Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) has methods to diagnose and manage somatization. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Somatic Complaints of Multiple Types
- What is being tested?
- Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 77 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- Jan 2002to Oct 2007
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Unexplained symptoms
Who cannot join
- Psychosis, substance abuse, suicidality
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Emotion-focused Diagnosis and Treatment of Somatization in the ED
Objective: Somatization of emotions accounts for excess Emergency department (ED) visits. Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) has methods to diagnose and manage somatization. We examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of ISTDP diagnostic and treatment methods used for patients with repeated ED presentations for medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUS)
Read the detailed description
Herein we report the methods and outcomes of rapidly-accessed, emotion-focused diagnostic and treatment services for patients presenting to the ED with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Patients who were assessed and referred by ED physicians will serve as a non-randomized condition controlling for some relevant variables. Our a priori hypotheses were that assessed and treated patients would have a reduction in ED visits and self reported symptoms after this intervention and that controls would have a smaller reduction in ED visits if any.
- Conditions
- Somatic Complaints of Multiple Types
- Being tested
- Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy
- Keywords
- somatization, psychosomatic, short-term, dynamic, psychotherapy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Intensive Short-term Dynamic PsychotherapyBehavioural
Also called Short-term Psychotherapy
A brief psychotherapy format
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experimental | ISTDP therapy was provided Receives: Behavioral: Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy |
| 2 | No intervention | People referred but never seen |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Emergency department visits pre and post
Measured: 1 year
Secondary outcomes (2)
Brief Symptom Inventory
Measured: pre and post
Patient Satisfaction
Measured: post
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Feb 2009 (estimated)
- Study startJan 2002
- Primary completionOct 2007
- Study completionOct 2007
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Somatic Complaints of Multiple TypesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Nova Scotia Health AuthorityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 77 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Nova Scotia Health Authority
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Allan A Abbass, MD FRCPC, Principal investigator, Capital Health, Canada
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00833742
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- AAA01
- Acronym
- ISTDPED
- Status last verified
- Jan 2009
- First submitted
- 12 Feb 2008
- Last updated
- 18 Feb 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Abbass A. Somatization: Diagnosing it sooner through emotion-focused interviewing. J Fam Pract. 2005 Mar;54(3):231-9, 243. No abstract available.
PubMed 15755376
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Feb 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Emotion-focused Diagnosis and Treatment of Somatization in the ED
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00833742
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ISTDPED / AAA01
- Conditions
- Somatic Complaints of Multiple Types
- Keywords
- somatization, psychosomatic, short-term, dynamic, psychotherapy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 77 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Nova Scotia Health AuthorityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jan 2002
- Primary completion
- Oct 2007 (actual)
- Study completion
- Oct 2007 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Feb 2009 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Objective: Somatization of emotions accounts for excess Emergency department (ED) visits. Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) has methods to diagnose and manage somatization. We examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of ISTDP diagnostic and treatment methods used for patients with repeated ED presentations for medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUS)
Detailed description
Herein we report the methods and outcomes of rapidly-accessed, emotion-focused diagnostic and treatment services for patients presenting to the ED with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Patients who were assessed and referred by ED physicians will serve as a non-randomized condition controlling for some relevant variables. Our a priori hypotheses were that assessed and treated patients would have a reduction in ED visits and self reported symptoms after this intervention and that controls would have a smaller reduction in ED visits if any.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experimental | Behavioral: Intensive Short-term Dynamic PsychotherapyISTDP therapy was provided |
| 2 | No intervention | –People referred but never seen |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Unexplained symptoms
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Psychosis, substance abuse, suicidality
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Intensive Short-term Dynamic PsychotherapyAlso: Short-term PsychotherapyA brief psychotherapy format | Behavioural | 1 |
Primary outcome
Emergency department visits pre and post
Time frame: 1 year
2 secondary outcomes
Brief Symptom Inventory
Time frame: pre and post
Patient Satisfaction
Time frame: post
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Feb 2025.
- Background: PubMed 15755376Abbass A. Somatization: Diagnosing it sooner through emotion-focused interviewing. J Fam Pract. 2005 Mar;54(3):231-9, 243. No abstract available.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Allan A Abbass, MD FRCPC principal investigator
Capital Health, Canada
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in people with Somatic Complaints of Multiple Types, run by Nova Scotia Health Authority at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Feb 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Emergency department visits pre and post (time frame: 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00833742, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Feb 2025.