Post Traumatic Stress DisorderNCT05788302
Mechanisms Underlying Efficacy of Prolonged Exposure
A study testing Prolonged Exposure in people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this research is to collect pilot data that demonstrates that proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Prolonged Exposure
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2023to 1 Dec 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
- Age 18 or older
- Meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD as defined by DSM-5 assessed by the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and Obsessive-compulsive and related Psychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND), and
- Interest in starting PE
Who cannot join
- Current or past history of schizophrenic or other psychotic disorders,
- Untreated Bipolar Disorder or a history of a manic/mixed episode within the last 6 months,
- Severe traumatic brain injury,
- Major neurological problems,
- Current substance use disorder of moderate or greater severity assessed by the DIAMOND,
- Active risk to self or others,
Show all 10Show fewer
- Current participation in therapy other than present-centered supportive therapy,
- Previously received > 2 sessions of Prolonged Exposure, and
- Having no memory of their traumatic event.
- For participants who are currently prescribed psychotropic medication, they will be eligible for the study provided medication use has been stable for 2 months prior to enrollment and remains stable throughout participation
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
MGH
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
Amanda Baker, PhD, 6176436703, awbaker1@partners.org
About this study
The primary objective of this research is to collect pilot data that demonstrates that proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aims of the study are to: (1) examine theoretically informed mechanisms as pretreatment predictors of PE treatment efficacy, (2) characterize how neural, psychophysiological, and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of PE, and (3) examine proposed mechanisms of change as measures of PE treatment efficacy. This is a longitudinal study of predictors of exposure therapy efficacy that will be conducted within the context of a standard 10 session PE treatment trial, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 1-month follow-up. This data will be used to support a future NIMH and/or VA grant submission.
Read the detailed description
Proposed research sets to collect pilot data to examine how the proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fifty participants will be screened with the goal of obtaining 15 participants to complete the study. Participants will complete ten 60-minute sessions of PE. During each PE session, participants will be outfitted with a NINscan device to record psychophysiological measures including skin conductance, heart rate, and facial EMG, as well as neural measures of LPFC activity. Multimodal assessment batteries will be scheduled to take place at pre-treatment, midtreatment (i.e., post session 5), post-treatment (i.e., post-session 10), and at 1-month follow-up. These sessions will include a battery of self-report measures, clinician-administered diagnostic interviews, and script-driven imagery (SDI) procedures with physiologic and neural recordings. The primary outcome measure will be PTSD symptom change on the CAPS-5 and the secondary outcome measures will be a) change in self-reported symptom severity, b) premature treatment dropout, and c) change in psychophysiological reactivity and LPFC activity during the SDI procedures. This proposed research will inform theoretical models of exposure therapy efficacy, with the goal of enhancing prolonged exposure therapy.
- Conditions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Being tested
- Prolonged Exposure
- Keywords
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Exposure Therapy
- 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.
Prolonged ExposureBehavioural
- Participation will occur throughout 17 weeks over 15 separate visits during which 10, 60-minute sessions of PE will take place. Session 1 of PE will focus on psychoeducation. Session 2 of PE will involve a continuation of psychoeducation and rationale for exposure as well as the collaborative construction of the in vivo exposure hierarchy. After session 2, participants will begin homework where they are instructed to confront situations on their hierarchy. Starting in session 3 of PE, participants will begin imaginal exposures to their worst trauma memory. This involves the participant recounting and visualizing the trauma memory aloud with the clinician in the room for 30-40 minutes. The session will end with 15-20 minutes of processing the imaginal exposure. Participants will continue in-session imaginal exposures until the end of treatment. Throughout the treatment, participants will listen to a recording of their imaginal exposure and engage in in vivo exposures daily.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Prolonged Exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder | Experimental | 15 participants who meet study inclusion/exclusion criteria will be individually administered a full course of PE during 10, 60 minute-sessions, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5), post-treatment, and a 1-month follow-up. Receives: Behavioral: Prolonged Exposure |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change from baseline in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
The primary clinical outcome, CAPS-5, is the gold standard clinical interview for assessing PTSD severity. In CAPS-5, each of the 20 symptoms of PTSD is rated on a 5-point severity scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 4 (extreme). Total scores range from 0 to 80.
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Secondary outcomes (8)
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Self-ratings of how much one is bothered by each of the 20 symptoms of PTSD on a 5-point severity scale ranging from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (extremely)
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self report (QIDS-SR)
Used to measure severity of depressive symptoms. provides equivalent weightings (0-3) for each symptom item, gives clearly stated anchors that estimate the frequency and severity of symptoms, and includes all items required to diagnose a major depressive episode (approximately 5 minutes)
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.]
Prefrontal cortical activity during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Prefrontal cortical (PFC) activity will be monitored during SDI procedures using NINscan portable brain and physiologic monitoring system via near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of the medial and lateral PFC. NIRS yields concentrations of oxygenated (oxyHb) and deoxygenated (deoxyHb) hemoglobin that can be used to assess cortical activation. Various portions of PFC (e.g. Brodmann areas 10, 46, 44, 45 and 47) have been shown to activate and/or deactivate during script-driven imagery (SDI) of an index trauma in persons with PTSD and to be associated with better PE outcome. NIRS data will be converted to quantitative oxy-Hb, deoxy-Hb, and total-Hb using the modified Beer-Lambert law. Changes in quantitative hemodynamic measure (oxy-Hb, deoxy-Hb, total-Hb) will be compared between 30 s of trauma-related SDI and their baseline epochs (30 s of silence preceding the respective script).
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Change in electrocardiography (ECG) and heart rate variability (HRV) during script driven imagery (SDI)
ECG will be monitored during SDI procedures using NINscan portable brain and physiologic monitoring system. ECG will be collected continuously and the relative change calculated by subtracting the average ECG level for the 5 seconds immediately preceding SDI onset from the maximum level within 1 to 5 seconds after SDI onset. Heart rate variability (HRV) will be calculated form 5-minute epochs during baseline, calculating the standard deviation of all NN intervals, and comparing them to 5-minute intervals after onset of SDI. The ECG and HRV signals will be assessed individually and also in combination using posterior probability scores. Changes in ECG and HRV have been shown to indicate differential sympathetic reactivity in persons with PTSD versus controls.
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.]
Change in skin conductance (SC) during script-driven imagery (SDI)
SC will be monitored during SDI procedures using NINscan portable brain and physiologic monitoring system. SC level for the 5 seconds immediately preceding SDI onset from the maximum level within 1 to 5 seconds after SDI onset. This response window is selected to reduce the likelihood that response scores would be contaminated by spontaneous SC fluctuations. The signals will be assessed individually and also in combination using posterior probability scores. Changes in SC signals have been shown to indicate differential sympathetic reactivity in persons with PTSD versus controls.
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Change in electromyography (EMG) during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Electromyography of the corrugator muscle will be monitored during SDI procedures using NINscan portable brain and physiologic monitoring system. An EMG response (EMGR) score will be calculated by subtracting the average EMG level for the 5 seconds immediately preceding SDI onset from the maximum level during SDI. The signals will be assessed individually and also in combination using posterior probability scores. Changes in corrugator EMG have been shown to indicate differential sympathetic reactivity in persons with PTSD versus controls.
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Change in respirometry during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Changes in respirometry will be monitored during SDI procedures using NINscan portable brain and physiologic monitoring system. Average frequency and signal amplitude during baseline and SDI exposure epochs will be compared to calculate the relative change in respirometry. Changes in respirometry have been shown to indicate differential sympathetic reactivity in persons with PTSD versus controls.
Measured: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Premature treatment dropout
Maintenance of active participation or dropout from the treatment will be assessed.
Measured: Given at pre-treatment and mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Mar 2023
- Study start1 Apr 2023
- Primary completion1 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (40)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Post Traumatic Stress DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Massachusetts General HospitalThe 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
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Amanda W. Baker, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital
- Investigators
- Amanda W Baker, Ph.D., Principal investigator, Massachusetts General HospitalVladimir Ivkovic, Ph.D., Principal investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05788302
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2022P002988
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Mar 2023
- Last updated
- 13 Nov 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: A de-identified, anonymized dataset will be created and shared after study completion.
Publications
Powers MB, Halpern JM, Ferenschak MP, Gillihan SJ, Foa EB. A meta-analytic review of prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Aug;30(6):635-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.04.007. Epub 2010 May 2.
PubMed 20546985Hembree EA, Foa EB, Dorfan NM, Street GP, Kowalski J, Tu X. Do patients drop out prematurely from exposure therapy for PTSD? J Trauma Stress. 2003 Dec;16(6):555-62. doi: 10.1023/B:JOTS.0000004078.93012.7d.
PubMed 14690352Schnurr PP, Friedman MJ, Engel CC, Foa EB, Shea MT, Chow BK, Resick PA, Thurston V, Orsillo SM, Haug R, Turner C, Bernardy N. Cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2007 Feb 28;297(8):820-30. doi: 10.1001/jama.297.8.820.
PubMed 17327524Kehle-Forbes SM, Meis LA, Spoont MR, Polusny MA. Treatment initiation and dropout from prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy in a VA outpatient clinic. Psychol Trauma. 2016 Jan;8(1):107-114. doi: 10.1037/tra0000065. Epub 2015 Jun 29.
PubMed 26121175Schottenbauer MA, Glass CR, Arnkoff DB, Tendick V, Gray SH. Nonresponse and dropout rates in outcome studies on PTSD: review and methodological considerations. Psychiatry. 2008 Summer;71(2):134-68. doi: 10.1521/psyc.2008.71.2.134.
PubMed 18573035Bouton ME, Mineka S, Barlow DH. A modern learning theory perspective on the etiology of panic disorder. Psychol Rev. 2001 Jan;108(1):4-32. doi: 10.1037/0033-295x.108.1.4.
PubMed 11212632McGuire JF, Lewin AB, Storch EA. Enhancing exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Expert Rev Neurother. 2014 Aug;14(8):893-910. doi: 10.1586/14737175.2014.934677. Epub 2014 Jun 27.
PubMed 24972729Rachman S. Emotional processing. Behav Res Ther. 1980;18(1):51-60. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(80)90069-8. No abstract available.
PubMed 7369988Wisco BE, Baker AS, Sloan DM. Mechanisms of Change in Written Exposure Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Behav Ther. 2016 Jan;47(1):66-74. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2015.09.005. Epub 2015 Oct 8.
PubMed 26763498Pitman RK, Orr SP, Altman B, Longpre RE, Poire RE, Macklin ML, Michaels MJ, Steketee GS. Emotional processing and outcome of imaginal flooding therapy in Vietnam veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. Compr Psychiatry. 1996 Nov-Dec;37(6):409-18. doi: 10.1016/s0010-440x(96)90024-3.
PubMed 8932965Robison-Andrew EJ, Duval ER, Nelson CB, Echiverri-Cohen A, Giardino N, Defever A, Norrholm SD, Jovanovic T, Rothbaum BO, Liberzon I, Rauch SA. Changes in trauma-potentiated startle with treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in combat Veterans. J Anxiety Disord. 2014 May;28(4):358-62. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.04.002. Epub 2014 Apr 15.
PubMed 24786361Craske MG, Kircanski K, Zelikowsky M, Mystkowski J, Chowdhury N, Baker A. Optimizing inhibitory learning during exposure therapy. Behav Res Ther. 2008 Jan;46(1):5-27. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2007.10.003. Epub 2007 Oct 7.
PubMed 18005936Bryant RA, Felmingham K, Kemp A, Das P, Hughes G, Peduto A, Williams L. Amygdala and ventral anterior cingulate activation predicts treatment response to cognitive behaviour therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychol Med. 2008 Apr;38(4):555-61. doi: 10.1017/S0033291707002231. Epub 2007 Nov 16.
PubMed 18005496van Rooij SJ, Geuze E, Kennis M, Rademaker AR, Vink M. Neural correlates of inhibition and contextual cue processing related to treatment response in PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2015 Feb;40(3):667-75. doi: 10.1038/npp.2014.220. Epub 2014 Aug 26.
PubMed 25154707Fonzo GA, Goodkind MS, Oathes DJ, Zaiko YV, Harvey M, Peng KK, Weiss ME, Thompson AL, Zack SE, Lindley SE, Arnow BA, Jo B, Gross JJ, Rothbaum BO, Etkin A. PTSD Psychotherapy Outcome Predicted by Brain Activation During Emotional Reactivity and Regulation. Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Dec 1;174(12):1163-1174. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16091072. Epub 2017 Jul 18.
PubMed 28715908
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Nov 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Mechanisms Underlying Efficacy of Prolonged Exposure
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05788302
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2022P002988
- Conditions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Keywords
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Exposure Therapy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Massachusetts General HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 28 Mar 2023 (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 primary objective of this research is to collect pilot data that demonstrates that proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aims of the study are to: (1) examine theoretically informed mechanisms as pretreatment predictors of PE treatment efficacy, (2) characterize how neural, psychophysiological, and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of PE, and (3) examine proposed mechanisms of change as measures of PE treatment efficacy. This is a longitudinal study of predictors of exposure therapy efficacy that will be conducted within the context of a standard 10 session PE treatment trial, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 1-month follow-up. This data will be used to support a future NIMH and/or VA grant submission.
Detailed description
Proposed research sets to collect pilot data to examine how the proposed neural, psychophysiological and subjective markers measured before, during, and after treatment change over the course of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fifty participants will be screened with the goal of obtaining 15 participants to complete the study. Participants will complete ten 60-minute sessions of PE. During each PE session, participants will be outfitted with a NINscan device to record psychophysiological measures including skin conductance, heart rate, and facial EMG, as well as neural measures of LPFC activity. Multimodal assessment batteries will be scheduled to take place at pre-treatment, midtreatment (i.e., post session 5), post-treatment (i.e., post-session 10), and at 1-month follow-up. These sessions will include a battery of self-report measures, clinician-administered diagnostic interviews, and script-driven imagery (SDI) procedures with physiologic and neural recordings. The primary outcome measure will be PTSD symptom change on the CAPS-5 and the secondary outcome measures will be a) change in self-reported symptom severity, b) premature treatment dropout, and c) change in psychophysiological reactivity and LPFC activity during the SDI procedures. This proposed research will inform theoretical models of exposure therapy efficacy, with the goal of enhancing prolonged exposure therapy.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Prolonged Exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder | Experimental | Behavioral: Prolonged Exposure15 participants who meet study inclusion/exclusion criteria will be individually administered a full course of PE during 10, 60 minute-sessions, with independent multimodal assessment batteries administered at pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5), post-treatment, and a 1-month follow-up. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age 18 or older
- Meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD as defined by DSM-5 assessed by the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and Obsessive-compulsive and related Psychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND), and
- Interest in starting PE
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Current or past history of schizophrenic or other psychotic disorders,
- Untreated Bipolar Disorder or a history of a manic/mixed episode within the last 6 months,
- Severe traumatic brain injury,
- Major neurological problems,
- Current substance use disorder of moderate or greater severity assessed by the DIAMOND,
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Prolonged Exposure- Participation will occur throughout 17 weeks over 15 separate visits during which 10, 60-minute sessions of PE will take place. Session 1 of PE will focus on psychoeducation. Session 2 of PE will involve a continuation of psychoeducation and rationale for exposure as well as the collaborative construction of the in vivo exposure hierarchy. After session 2, participants will begin homework where they are instructed to confront situations on their hierarchy. Starting in session 3 of PE, participants will begin imaginal exposures to their worst trauma memory. This involves the participant recounting and visualizing the trauma memory aloud with the clinician in the room for 30-40 minutes. The session will end with 15-20 minutes of processing the imaginal exposure. Participants will continue in-session imaginal exposures until the end of treatment. Throughout the treatment, participants will listen to a recording of their imaginal exposure and engage in in vivo exposures daily. | Behavioural | Prolonged Exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder |
Primary outcome
Change from baseline in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
The primary clinical outcome, CAPS-5, is the gold standard clinical interview for assessing PTSD severity. In CAPS-5, each of the 20 symptoms of PTSD is rated on a 5-point severity scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 4 (extreme). Total scores range from 0 to 80.
8 secondary outcomes
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self report (QIDS-SR)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.]
Prefrontal cortical activity during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Change in electrocardiography (ECG) and heart rate variability (HRV) during script driven imagery (SDI)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.]
Change in skin conductance (SC) during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Change in electromyography (EMG) during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Change in respirometry during script-driven imagery (SDI)
Time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.
Premature treatment dropout
Time frame: Given at pre-treatment and mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment).
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 13 Nov 2025.
- Background: PubMed 20546985Powers MB, Halpern JM, Ferenschak MP, Gillihan SJ, Foa EB. A meta-analytic review of prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Aug;30(6):635-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.04.007. Epub 2010 May 2.
- Background: PubMed 14690352Hembree EA, Foa EB, Dorfan NM, Street GP, Kowalski J, Tu X. Do patients drop out prematurely from exposure therapy for PTSD? J Trauma Stress. 2003 Dec;16(6):555-62. doi: 10.1023/B:JOTS.0000004078.93012.7d.
- Background: PubMed 17327524Schnurr PP, Friedman MJ, Engel CC, Foa EB, Shea MT, Chow BK, Resick PA, Thurston V, Orsillo SM, Haug R, Turner C, Bernardy N. Cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2007 Feb 28;297(8):820-30. doi: 10.1001/jama.297.8.820.
- Background: PubMed 26121175Kehle-Forbes SM, Meis LA, Spoont MR, Polusny MA. Treatment initiation and dropout from prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy in a VA outpatient clinic. Psychol Trauma. 2016 Jan;8(1):107-114. doi: 10.1037/tra0000065. Epub 2015 Jun 29.
- Background: PubMed 18573035Schottenbauer MA, Glass CR, Arnkoff DB, Tendick V, Gray SH. Nonresponse and dropout rates in outcome studies on PTSD: review and methodological considerations. Psychiatry. 2008 Summer;71(2):134-68. doi: 10.1521/psyc.2008.71.2.134.
- Background: PubMed 11212632Bouton ME, Mineka S, Barlow DH. A modern learning theory perspective on the etiology of panic disorder. Psychol Rev. 2001 Jan;108(1):4-32. doi: 10.1037/0033-295x.108.1.4.
- Background: PubMed 24972729McGuire JF, Lewin AB, Storch EA. Enhancing exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Expert Rev Neurother. 2014 Aug;14(8):893-910. doi: 10.1586/14737175.2014.934677. Epub 2014 Jun 27.
- Background: PubMed 7369988Rachman S. Emotional processing. Behav Res Ther. 1980;18(1):51-60. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(80)90069-8. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 26763498Wisco BE, Baker AS, Sloan DM. Mechanisms of Change in Written Exposure Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Behav Ther. 2016 Jan;47(1):66-74. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2015.09.005. Epub 2015 Oct 8.
- Background: PubMed 8932965Pitman RK, Orr SP, Altman B, Longpre RE, Poire RE, Macklin ML, Michaels MJ, Steketee GS. Emotional processing and outcome of imaginal flooding therapy in Vietnam veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. Compr Psychiatry. 1996 Nov-Dec;37(6):409-18. doi: 10.1016/s0010-440x(96)90024-3.
- Background: PubMed 24786361Robison-Andrew EJ, Duval ER, Nelson CB, Echiverri-Cohen A, Giardino N, Defever A, Norrholm SD, Jovanovic T, Rothbaum BO, Liberzon I, Rauch SA. Changes in trauma-potentiated startle with treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in combat Veterans. J Anxiety Disord. 2014 May;28(4):358-62. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.04.002. Epub 2014 Apr 15.
- Background: PubMed 18005936Craske MG, Kircanski K, Zelikowsky M, Mystkowski J, Chowdhury N, Baker A. Optimizing inhibitory learning during exposure therapy. Behav Res Ther. 2008 Jan;46(1):5-27. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2007.10.003. Epub 2007 Oct 7.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. A de-identified, anonymized dataset will be created and shared after study completion.
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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.
Amanda W Baker, Ph.D. principal investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital
Vladimir Ivkovic, Ph.D. principal investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Prolonged Exposure in people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, run by Massachusetts General Hospital 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 10 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 13 Nov 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 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 Amanda W Baker, Ph.D. (617-643-6703, AWBAKER1@PARTNERS.ORG), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change from baseline in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) (time frame: Given during screening session, pre-treatment, mid-treatment (post session 5 in week 5 of treatment), post-treatment (post session 10 in week 10 of treatment), and at 1-month follow up.). 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 NCT05788302, which also lists 40 linked publications.
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 13 Nov 2025.