PTSDNCT05310097
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Memory Support (MS) Study
A study testing CPT and MS in people with PTSD, run by Boston University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The efficacy of psychological interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is likely limited by the difficulty participants have learning and remembering important therapy content. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- PTSD
- What is being tested?
- CPT and MS
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 4 Jan 2023to Apr 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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
- Current diagnosis of PTSD as determined by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)
- For potential participants on psychiatric medication, dose must be stable for the past four weeks.
- Veteran status
Who cannot join
- Current DSM-5 diagnoses of unstable bipolar disorder, past or present psychosis, or organic mental disorder
- Active suicidal or homicidal ideation with plan or intent
- Current moderate or severe substance use disorder, as defined by DSM-5 [i.e., at least 4 diagnostic symptoms of Substance use disorder (SUD) present]
- Prior receipt of CPT or concurrent therapy for PTSD
- Significant cognitive impairment as indicated by a score <10th percentile on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- History of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on the Ohio State University TBI Identification Method and Veterans Administration/ Department of Defense (VA/DOD) guidelines
- High verbal memory ability, as indicated by a score >1 standard deviation (SD) above the population mean on the California Verbal Learning Test® Third Edition (CVLT-3) immediate recall task
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
VA Boston Healthcare System
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 02130
Joseph Carpenter, PhD MA, 617-435-5319, jcarpen@bu.edu
About this study
Official title: Enhancing Memory and Learning in Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
The efficacy of psychological interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is likely limited by the difficulty participants have learning and remembering important therapy content. Accordingly, the present study will examine the utility of integrating a Memory Support (MS) intervention into Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an empirically supported and widely disseminated treatment for PTSD. MS was designed to integrate techniques aimed at facilitating encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of new learning into existing treatments, and has been shown to improve outcomes when integrated into cognitive therapy for depression. A pilot randomized controlled trial (n=52) comparing CPT with Memory Support (CPT+MS) to CPT-alone will be conducted. Study participants will be adults diagnosed with PTSD.
The primary aim of the trial will be to determine if CPT+MS will lead to greater memory and learning of therapy content relative to CPT-alone, and to establish the acceptability and feasibility of integrating MS into CPT. Secondary aims include a preliminary examination of treatment efficacy, as indicated by the magnitude of changes in PTSD symptoms between conditions, and target validation, as indicated by associations between memory and learning of therapy content and treatment response. Exploratory analyses will examine several indicators of baseline memory-related cognitive functioning as predictors of memory and learning of therapy content, providing preliminary data to inform future research on personalized application of MS. Results of the trial will advance scientific knowledge about methods for optimizing memory and learning as a mechanism for improving PTSD treatment outcomes.
- Conditions
- PTSD
- Being tested
- CPT, MS
- Keywords
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Memory Support (MS), CPT + MS
- 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.
CPTBehavioural
CPT will be delivered over the course of 12 one-hour weekly sessions (maximum of 18 weeks to complete treatment). Participants will have the option of receiving CPT in-person or via videoconferencing.
MSBehavioural
The MS protocol consists of eight strategies: categorization, evaluation, application, cue-based reminders, practice remembering, attention recruitment, praising recall, and repetitions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Processing Therapy + Memory Support (CPT + MS) | Experimental | CPT + MS will involve the same treatment strategies as CPT while incorporating deliberate and frequent use of memory and learning support strategies. MS strategies are designed to enhance the memory of specific treatment points, defined as any insight, skill or strategy determined to be important for the patient to remember and/or implement. MS is not designed to enhance memory functioning generally, but rather improve the encoding, consolidation and retrieval of specific components of therapeutic learning. Receives: Behavioral: CPT; Behavioral: MS |
| Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) | Active comparator | CPT is a manualized, trauma-focused therapy for PTSD. Treatment consists of psychoeducation on the cognitive model of PTSD, identification of trauma-related stuck points (i.e. dysfunctional beliefs), and cognitive challenging techniques to help participants identify more realistic and adaptive ways of viewing their trauma, themselves, and the world. Receives: Behavioral: CPT |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mid-treatment Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task
The Therapy Recall Task involves participants writing down as many distinct "treatment points" as they can in a 10-minute period. Treatment points are defined as insights, skills, or strategies they think are important to remember or implement as part of their therapy. Responses are scored based on the number of distinct treatment points described.
Measured: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task
The Therapy Recall Task involves participants writing down as many distinct "treatment points" as they can in a 10-minute period. Treatment points are defined as insights, skills, or strategies they think are important to remember or implement as part of their therapy. Responses are scored based on the number of distinct treatment points described.
Measured: 12 weeks
Follow-up Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task
The Therapy Recall Task involves participants writing down as many distinct "treatment points" as they can in a 10-minute period. Treatment points are defined as insights, skills, or strategies they think are important to remember or implement as part of their therapy. Responses are scored based on the number of distinct treatment points described.
Measured: 6 months
Feasibility assessed by mean CPT Adherence
CPT adherence is defined as the portion of CPT protocol elements completed across therapy sessions, rated from 0-100%. This will be assessed via observer ratings of a random selection of 25% of tapes/session recordings from each treatment condition using the CPT Therapist Adherence and Competence Protocol - Revised. Completion of ≥ 90% mean adherence to protocol elements indicates high CPT adherence, and would be an indicator of feasibility of CPT+MS.
Measured: 12 weeks
Feasibility assessed by mean CPT Competence
CPT competence will be assessed via observer ratings of a random selection of 25% of tapes/session recordings from each treatment condition of the competence with which CPT protocol elements are delivered, rated from 1 (poor) to 7 (excellent). This will be assessed via observer ratings of a random selection of session recordings using the CPT Therapist Adherence and Competence Protocol - Revised. A mean skill rating of "good" or higher (≥5 on a 7-point Likert scale) on protocol elements indicates high CPT competence, and would be an indicator of feasibility of CPT+MS.
Measured: 12 weeks
Feasibility assessed by the Memory Support Rating Scale (MSRS)
The Memory Support Rating Scale (MSRS) is an an observer-rated scale used to measure the type and frequency of Memory Support strategies used. A greater number of Memory Support strategies used in the CPT+MS condition compared to CPT will indicate feasibility of CPT+MS. A random selection of 25% of tapes from each treatment condition will be assessed to derive the mean Memory Support strategies used.
Measured: 12 weeks
Treatment acceptability after Session 1 assessed by the Credibility and Expectancy (CEQ) questionnaire
The CEQ is a 6-item questionnaire that assesses how credible participants think the treatment they are receiving is and how much they expect to benefit, measured after the initial treatment session. The potential range of scores is 6 to 54 and higher scores indicating greater treatment credibility/acceptability.
Measured: 1 week
Mid-treatment acceptability assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory Short-Revised (WAI-R)
The WAI-R is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that measures three aspects of the therapeutic alliance: agreement on tasks, agreement on goals, and affective bond with the therapist. The potential range of scores is 12 to 60 and higher scores indicate stronger therapeutic alliance/treatment acceptability.
Measured: 6 weeks
Post-treatment acceptability assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory Short-Revised (WAI-R)
The WAI-R is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that measures three aspects of the therapeutic alliance: agreement on tasks, agreement on goals, and affective bond with the therapist. The potential range of scores is 12 to 60 and higher scores indicate stronger therapeutic alliance/treatment acceptability.
Measured: 12 weeks
Mid-treatment client satisfaction assessed by the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ)
The CSQ is an 8-item self-report questionnaire that assesses client satisfaction with the treatment they received. The potential range of scores is 8 to 32 and higher scores suggest greater client satisfaction/treatment acceptability.
Measured: 6 weeks
Post-treatment client satisfaction assessed by the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ)
The CSQ is an 8-item self-report questionnaire that assesses client satisfaction with the treatment they received. The potential range of scores is 8 to 32 and higher scores suggest greater client satisfaction/treatment acceptability.
Measured: 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (19)
Mid-treatment Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Treatment Thoughts and Application Task
The Treatment Thoughts and Application Task assesses the number of treatment points participants thought about and applied in the previous 24 hours. Higher numbers of treatment points indicate greater memory and learning of therapy content.
Measured: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Treatment Thoughts and Application Task
The Treatment Thoughts and Application Task assesses the number of treatment points participants thought about and applied in the previous 24 hours. Higher numbers of treatment points indicate greater memory and learning of therapy content.
Measured: 12 weeks
Follow-up Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Treatment Thoughts and Application Task
The Treatment Thoughts and Application Task assesses the number of treatment points participants thought about and applied in the previous 24 hours. Higher numbers of treatment points indicate greater memory and learning of therapy content.
Measured: 6 months
Mid-treatment Change in Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Generalization Task
The Generalization Task asks participants to imagine two scenarios that commonly elicit symptom-related distress and asks how they would respond. Responses are coded based on the number of treatment points accurately described. Higher numbers of treatment points indicate greater ability to generalize/learn and remember therapy content.
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks
Post-treatment Change in Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Generalization Task
The Generalization Task asks participants to imagine two scenarios that commonly elicit symptom-related distress and asks how they would respond. Responses are coded based on the number of treatment points accurately described. Higher numbers of treatment points indicate greater ability to generalize/learn and remember therapy content.
Measured: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Generalization Task
The Generalization Task asks participants to imagine two scenarios that commonly elicit symptom-related distress and asks how they would respond. Responses are coded based on the number of treatment points accurately described. Higher numbers of treatment points indicate greater ability to generalize/learn and remember therapy content.
Measured: Baseline, 6 months
Mid-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Patient
The SoCT - Patient is an 8-item self-report measure assessing comprehension and application of cognitive therapy skills. Scores range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater skill use and comprehension.
Measured: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Patient
The SoCT - Patient is an 8-item self-report measure assessing comprehension and application of cognitive therapy skills. Scores range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater skill use and comprehension.
Measured: 12 weeks
Follow-up Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Patient
The SoCT - Patient is an 8-item self-report measure assessing comprehension and application of cognitive therapy skills. Scores range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater skill use and comprehension.
Measured: 6 months
Mid-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Therapist
The SoCT - Therapist is an 8-item measure assessing therapist's perception of their patient's comprehension and application of cognitive therapy skills. Scores range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater skill use and comprehension.
Measured: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Therapist
The SoCT - Therapist is an 8-item measure assessing therapist's perception of their patient's comprehension and application of cognitive therapy skills. Scores range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater skill use and comprehension.
Measured: 12 weeks
Post-treatment Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
The CAPS-5 is a structured interview that will be used to assess PTSD severity based on the severity and frequency of the 20 DSM-5 symptom criteria of PTSD. Scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD.
Measured: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
The CAPS-5 is a structured interview that will be used to assess PTSD severity based on the severity and frequency of the 20 DSM-5 symptom criteria of PTSD. Scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD.
Measured: Baseline, 6 months
Post-treatment Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure PTSD symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD.
Measured: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure PTSD symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD.
Measured: Baseline, 6 months
Post-treatment Change in Depression symptoms assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9)
The PHQ is a 9-item self-report measure of depression symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depression.
Measured: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in Depression symptoms assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9)
The PHQ is a 9-item self-report measure of depression symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depression.
Measured: Baseline, 6 months
Post-treatment Change in general functioning assessed by the WHO Disability Assessment Scale-II (WHODAS-II)
The WHODAS-II is a 36-item self-report questionnaire measuring disability and general functioning. Scores range from 0 to 144, with higher scores indicating greater disability/lower functioning
Measured: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in general functioning assessed by the WHO Disability Assessment Scale-II (WHODAS-II)
The WHODAS-II is a 36-item self-report questionnaire measuring disability and general functioning. Scores range from 0 to 144, with higher scores indicating greater disability/lower functioning
Measured: Baseline, 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Apr 2022
- Study start4 Jan 2023
- Primary completionJan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionApr 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PTSDStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Boston University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), VA Boston Healthcare System
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Joseph Carpenter, PhD MA, Principal investigator, VA Boston Healthcare System, BUSM Psychiatry Dept.
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05310097
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- H-42343
- Other IDs
- 1K23MH129878-01
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Mar 2022
- Last updated
- 1 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Enhancing Memory and Learning in Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05310097
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- H-42343
- Conditions
- PTSD
- Keywords
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Memory Support (MS), CPT + MS
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Boston UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), VA Boston Healthcare System
- Study start
- 4 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Apr 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 Apr 2022 (actual)
- 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.
The efficacy of psychological interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is likely limited by the difficulty participants have learning and remembering important therapy content. Accordingly, the present study will examine the utility of integrating a Memory Support (MS) intervention into Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an empirically supported and widely disseminated treatment for PTSD. MS was designed to integrate techniques aimed at facilitating encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of new learning into existing treatments, and has been shown to improve outcomes when integrated into cognitive therapy for depression. A pilot randomized controlled trial (n=52) comparing CPT with Memory Support (CPT+MS) to CPT-alone will be conducted. Study participants will be adults diagnosed with PTSD.
The primary aim of the trial will be to determine if CPT+MS will lead to greater memory and learning of therapy content relative to CPT-alone, and to establish the acceptability and feasibility of integrating MS into CPT. Secondary aims include a preliminary examination of treatment efficacy, as indicated by the magnitude of changes in PTSD symptoms between conditions, and target validation, as indicated by associations between memory and learning of therapy content and treatment response. Exploratory analyses will examine several indicators of baseline memory-related cognitive functioning as predictors of memory and learning of therapy content, providing preliminary data to inform future research on personalized application of MS. Results of the trial will advance scientific knowledge about methods for optimizing memory and learning as a mechanism for improving PTSD treatment outcomes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Processing Therapy + Memory Support (CPT + MS) | Experimental | Behavioral: CPT, Behavioral: MSCPT + MS will involve the same treatment strategies as CPT while incorporating deliberate and frequent use of memory and learning support strategies. MS strategies are designed to enhance the memory of specific treatment points, defined as any insight, skill or strategy determined to be important for the patient to remember and/or implement. MS is not designed to enhance memory functioning generally, but rather improve the encoding, consolidation and retrieval of specific components of therapeutic learning. |
| Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) | Active comparator | Behavioral: CPTCPT is a manualized, trauma-focused therapy for PTSD. Treatment consists of psychoeducation on the cognitive model of PTSD, identification of trauma-related stuck points (i.e. dysfunctional beliefs), and cognitive challenging techniques to help participants identify more realistic and adaptive ways of viewing their trauma, themselves, and the world. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Current diagnosis of PTSD as determined by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)
- For potential participants on psychiatric medication, dose must be stable for the past four weeks.
- Veteran status
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Current DSM-5 diagnoses of unstable bipolar disorder, past or present psychosis, or organic mental disorder
- Active suicidal or homicidal ideation with plan or intent
- Current moderate or severe substance use disorder, as defined by DSM-5 [i.e., at least 4 diagnostic symptoms of Substance use disorder (SUD) present]
- Prior receipt of CPT or concurrent therapy for PTSD
- Significant cognitive impairment as indicated by a score <10th percentile on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
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 |
|---|---|---|
| CPTCPT will be delivered over the course of 12 one-hour weekly sessions (maximum of 18 weeks to complete treatment). Participants will have the option of receiving CPT in-person or via videoconferencing. | Behavioural | Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Processing Therapy + Memory Support (CPT + MS) |
| MSThe MS protocol consists of eight strategies: categorization, evaluation, application, cue-based reminders, practice remembering, attention recruitment, praising recall, and repetitions. | Behavioural | Cognitive Processing Therapy + Memory Support (CPT + MS) |
Primary outcome
Mid-treatment Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task
Time frame: 6 weeks
The Therapy Recall Task involves participants writing down as many distinct "treatment points" as they can in a 10-minute period. Treatment points are defined as insights, skills, or strategies they think are important to remember or implement as part of their therapy. Responses are scored based on the number of distinct treatment points described.
Post-treatment Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task
Time frame: 12 weeks
The Therapy Recall Task involves participants writing down as many distinct "treatment points" as they can in a 10-minute period. Treatment points are defined as insights, skills, or strategies they think are important to remember or implement as part of their therapy. Responses are scored based on the number of distinct treatment points described.
Follow-up Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task
Time frame: 6 months
The Therapy Recall Task involves participants writing down as many distinct "treatment points" as they can in a 10-minute period. Treatment points are defined as insights, skills, or strategies they think are important to remember or implement as part of their therapy. Responses are scored based on the number of distinct treatment points described.
Feasibility assessed by mean CPT Adherence
Time frame: 12 weeks
CPT adherence is defined as the portion of CPT protocol elements completed across therapy sessions, rated from 0-100%. This will be assessed via observer ratings of a random selection of 25% of tapes/session recordings from each treatment condition using the CPT Therapist Adherence and Competence Protocol - Revised. Completion of ≥ 90% mean adherence to protocol elements indicates high CPT adherence, and would be an indicator of feasibility of CPT+MS.
Feasibility assessed by mean CPT Competence
Time frame: 12 weeks
CPT competence will be assessed via observer ratings of a random selection of 25% of tapes/session recordings from each treatment condition of the competence with which CPT protocol elements are delivered, rated from 1 (poor) to 7 (excellent). This will be assessed via observer ratings of a random selection of session recordings using the CPT Therapist Adherence and Competence Protocol - Revised. A mean skill rating of "good" or higher (≥5 on a 7-point Likert scale) on protocol elements indicates high CPT competence, and would be an indicator of feasibility of CPT+MS.
Feasibility assessed by the Memory Support Rating Scale (MSRS)
Time frame: 12 weeks
The Memory Support Rating Scale (MSRS) is an an observer-rated scale used to measure the type and frequency of Memory Support strategies used. A greater number of Memory Support strategies used in the CPT+MS condition compared to CPT will indicate feasibility of CPT+MS. A random selection of 25% of tapes from each treatment condition will be assessed to derive the mean Memory Support strategies used.
Treatment acceptability after Session 1 assessed by the Credibility and Expectancy (CEQ) questionnaire
Time frame: 1 week
The CEQ is a 6-item questionnaire that assesses how credible participants think the treatment they are receiving is and how much they expect to benefit, measured after the initial treatment session. The potential range of scores is 6 to 54 and higher scores indicating greater treatment credibility/acceptability.
Mid-treatment acceptability assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory Short-Revised (WAI-R)
Time frame: 6 weeks
The WAI-R is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that measures three aspects of the therapeutic alliance: agreement on tasks, agreement on goals, and affective bond with the therapist. The potential range of scores is 12 to 60 and higher scores indicate stronger therapeutic alliance/treatment acceptability.
Post-treatment acceptability assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory Short-Revised (WAI-R)
Time frame: 12 weeks
The WAI-R is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that measures three aspects of the therapeutic alliance: agreement on tasks, agreement on goals, and affective bond with the therapist. The potential range of scores is 12 to 60 and higher scores indicate stronger therapeutic alliance/treatment acceptability.
Mid-treatment client satisfaction assessed by the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ)
Time frame: 6 weeks
The CSQ is an 8-item self-report questionnaire that assesses client satisfaction with the treatment they received. The potential range of scores is 8 to 32 and higher scores suggest greater client satisfaction/treatment acceptability.
Post-treatment client satisfaction assessed by the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ)
Time frame: 12 weeks
The CSQ is an 8-item self-report questionnaire that assesses client satisfaction with the treatment they received. The potential range of scores is 8 to 32 and higher scores suggest greater client satisfaction/treatment acceptability.
19 secondary outcomes
Mid-treatment Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Treatment Thoughts and Application Task
Time frame: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Treatment Thoughts and Application Task
Time frame: 12 weeks
Follow-up Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Treatment Thoughts and Application Task
Time frame: 6 months
Mid-treatment Change in Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Generalization Task
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Post-treatment Change in Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Generalization Task
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in Memory of Therapy Content assessed by the Generalization Task
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months
Mid-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Patient
Time frame: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Patient
Time frame: 12 weeks
Follow-up Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Patient
Time frame: 6 months
Mid-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Therapist
Time frame: 6 weeks
Post-treatment Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) - Therapist
Time frame: 12 weeks
Post-treatment Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months
Post-treatment Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in PTSD symptoms assessed by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months
Post-treatment Change in Depression symptoms assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in Depression symptoms assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9)
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months
Post-treatment Change in general functioning assessed by the WHO Disability Assessment Scale-II (WHODAS-II)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Follow-up Change in general functioning assessed by the WHO Disability Assessment Scale-II (WHODAS-II)
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Joseph Carpenter, PhD MA principal investigator
VA Boston Healthcare System, BUSM Psychiatry Dept.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing CPT and MS in people with PTSD, run by Boston University at 1 site in United States.
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 3 inclusion and 7 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Apr 2026. 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 United States. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Joseph Carpenter, PhD MA (617-435-5319, jcarpen@bu.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Mid-treatment Memory of therapy content assessed by the Therapy Recall Task (time frame: 6 weeks). The study lists 11 primary outcomes in all. 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 1 Apr 2026.