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PostTraumatic Stress DisorderNCT03039361

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD

A study testing Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in people with PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, run by University of New Mexico.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy on PTSD symptoms in veterans with PTSD as compared with existing care. The investigators' hypothesis is: EAP Participants' will experience decreased PTSD symptoms following participation in a 6-week Equine Assisted Psychotherapy… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
PostTraumatic Stress Disorder
What is being tested?
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
20 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Jan 2015to Jan 2018
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 to 75 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Participants will include war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, who have a PCL-M symptom score of ≥ 29 with an age between 18 and 75.

Who cannot join

  • Adults unable to consent, individuals aged < 18 years, individuals receiving antipsychotic medication, individuals receiving glucocorticoid therapy, and/or pregnant women.

About this study

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy on PTSD symptoms in veterans with PTSD as compared with existing care.

The investigators' hypothesis is: EAP Participants' will experience decreased PTSD symptoms following participation in a 6-week Equine Assisted Psychotherapy program.

Read the detailed description

This study will employ a randomized, parallel group design with delayed intervention in the control group. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned using a random number generator. The PTSD Checklist (PCL) - Military (measuring PTSD symptoms) will be administered to each participant at week 0 and week 6. Permissions have been obtained for the use of the survey.

Surveys will be identified by randomized number only, to maintain confidentiality. Participants will be assigned a unique identifier. A list of participant's initials and their random assigned numbers will be kept in a locked secure file by the investigator. In this way the participants confidentially will be protected.

The participants assigned to the intervention group will complete the Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program that will be performed at an Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) certified facility. The participants will be going through a 6 week program. The researcher will not be conducting the therapy. An EAGALA certified and licensed Occupational Therapist will be running the therapy as well as a professional Horse Handler for safety. In the event that a participant is in need of additional therapy as a result of this research, a psychotherapist will be on call. Participation will not include riding the horses. "The basis of the EAGALA Model is a belief that all clients have the best solutions for themselves when given the opportunity to discover them. Rather than instructing or directing solutions, [the instructor] allow [their] clients to experiment, problem-solve, take risks, employ creativity, and find their own solutions that work best for them. No horseback riding is involved. Instead, effective and deliberate techniques are utilized where the horses are metaphors in specific ground-based experiences." (http://www.eagala.org/Information/What_Is_EAGALA_Model) All horse based activities involve inherent risk. The facility and the horses that the participants will be using are used daily for Hippotherapy involving disabled individuals. All safety procedures and precautions outlined by the EAGALA certifications and the therapy facility will be strictly maintained. The participants may decline to do any of the therapy activities and or survey questions at any time. If the certified therapist senses a problem, they will stop the therapy and consult with a psychotherapist.

The participants assigned to the control group will have no intervention related to the research but may continue any preexisting therapy. They will be asked to not initiate any new therapy programs. The participants will be however given the option of delayed EAP after the completion of the 6 week program.

Being tested
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
Medical subject headings
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Equine Assisted PsychotherapyBehavioural

    Also called Equine Assisted Therapy

    Therapist will use Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) modeled Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Study groups in NCT03039361
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Equine Assisted PsychotherapyExperimental6 week Equine Assisted Psychotherapy program
Receives: Behavioral: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
ControlNo interventionStandard of Care, Existing PTSD therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in 17-item PCL-Military (PTSD Symptoms)

    A validated and widely used survey instrument to assess PTSD symptoms for the purposes of diagnosis, clinical assessment, and scientific inquiry. Scores range from 17 to 85 in severity, with anything over 29 as having PTSD.

    Measured: Baseline and 6 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Feb 2017 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2015
  3. Primary completionJan 2018
  4. Study completionJan 2018

Resources

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
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
20 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03039361
Sponsor's protocol ID
13-547
Status last verified
Mar 2018
First submitted
11 Jan 2017
Last updated
7 Mar 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will be provided in Lobo vault after finalization of the study.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in people with PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, run by University of New Mexico.

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 7 Mar 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

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?

Change in 17-item PCL-Military (PTSD Symptoms) (time frame: Baseline and 6 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 7 Mar 2018.

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