PsychosisNCT07237529
What is the Feasibility of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for People Experiencing Psychosis?
A study testing Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) in people with Psychosis and Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders, run by University of Nottingham.
Trial summary
The goal of this interventional study is to evaluate the feasibility of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for people experiencing psychosis. The secondary goal of this study is to evaluate the potential impact of NET in reducing symptoms of psychosis and post-traumatic stress. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Psychosis, Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
- What is being tested?
- Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 5 Feb 2026to 16 Nov 2026
- 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 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Inclusion Criteria: For the purposes of this study the term 'psychosis' covers a range of conditions recognised in standard diagnostic systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fifth Edition (DSM-5; APA, 2013) and the International Classification of Diseases - Eleventh Revision (ICD-11; WHO, 2018). Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Brief Psychotic Disorder
- Delusional Disorder
- Substance/Medication-Induced Psychotic Disorder
- Postpartum (Postnatal) Psychosis
Individuals will be eligible to take part in the study if they meet all of the following:
- Age - between 18 and 65 years old.
- Language - able to speak and understand English well enough to take part in the research activities.
- Diagnosis - have a psychosis-related diagnosis as defined above.
- Trauma history - have experienced more than one traumatic event in their lifetime. A traumatic event means something that was deeply distressing, frightening, or life-threatening, such as abuse, assault, serious accident, disaster, or war.
- Current care - are under the care of a Local Mental Health Team (LMHT) within Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and on the Care Programme Approach (CPA) pathway. CPA is an NHS care plan for people with complex mental health needs, setting out the support they will receive and who will provide it.
- Mobility - can travel independently to an NHS clinic or can be supported to attend.
- Consent - able to understand the study information and give informed consent to take part (in line with the Mental Capacity Act, 2005).
Exclusion Criteria: People will not be able to take part in the study if any of the following apply
- Recent change in antipsychotic medication - If the person has recently started, stopped, or changed their antipsychotic medication. This is because there are no specific medical tests ("biomarkers") to predict how someone will respond to a new medication, and the effects can vary greatly between individuals. The first few weeks after a medication change can be a time of increased risk for worsening symptoms or relapse. Research also shows that stopping and starting medication can temporarily affect thinking skills such as memory and attention.
Recent serious mental health crisis -
If the person has experienced a significant adverse event within the last three months, such as:
- A suicide attempt
- A hospital admission for mental health reasons This is because there is currently little research on how trauma-focused therapy affects people with severe mental illness who have recently been suicidal, and starting therapy too soon after a crisis may not be safe.
Currently receiving another structured psychological therapy - For example, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or another regular talking therapy programme. This is to ensure that the results of the study reflect the effects of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) alone, without being influenced by another therapy.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Lewis Albie MacDonald-Winship, BSc Psychology contact
About this study
Official title: What is the Feasibility and Potential Impact of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for People Experiencing Psychosis?
The goal of this interventional study is to evaluate the feasibility of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for people experiencing psychosis. The secondary goal of this study is to evaluate the potential impact of NET in reducing symptoms of psychosis and post-traumatic stress. Participants will be patients accessing local NHS mental health services who are between the age of 18 to 65 years-old who have been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and have a history of trauma. The main questions the study aims to answer are:
Is NET feasible to deliver to people experiencing psychosis
Read more
Can NET impact symptoms of psychosis in people experiencing psychosis?
Can NET impact symptoms posttraumatic stress in people experiencing psychosis?
Can NET impact symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in people experiencing psychosis?
Participants will be asked to:
Undertake the NET intervention with a trained NET therapist (the number of sessions will be decided based on the need of the participant)
Complete a questionnaire to assess the traumas they have experienced over the course of their life (called the 'Trauma and Life Events' Scale)
Complete a weekly interview to assess their symptoms of psychosis (called the 'Simplified Negative and Positive Symptoms Interview')
Complete weekly measures to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress (called the 'International Trauma Questionnaire')
Complete weekly measures to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress (using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress 21 item Scale [DASS-21])
Complete a follow-up interview to discuss their personal experience of the NET intervention)
- Being tested
- Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
- Keywords
- Narrative Exposure Therapy, Psychosis, Trauma, Intervention Study
- Medical subject headings
- Psychotic Disorders, Schizophrenia, Wounds and Injuries
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)Other
NET always begins with a face-to-face personal interview between the patient and the therapist to carefully assess life events using checklists, followed by an interview about trauma reactions and a thorough psychoeducation about the findings and suggested procedure of NET. In another session, he arousing and meaningful specific events from birth to present are symbolized in their valence in an autobiographical timeline (or 'lifeline'). The patient is then encouraged to share their life story, focusing on adverse and emotionally charged experiences, which are explored in depth using 'Narrative Exposure', and those are reviewed in the subsequent session.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) Arm | Experimental | In Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), patients construct a detailed narration of their life story with the therapist, focusing on integrating traumatic memories into a coherent whole, including sensory, cognitive, emotional, and physiological aspects. The therapist documents the testimony. After an initial evaluation, including a questionnaire (TALE in this study), patients receive psychoeducation about trauma symptoms, followed by a preparatory introduction. Therapy begins with creating a "lifeline," an autobiographic overview of positive and traumatic events. Patients then undergo "Narrative Exposure," chronologically recounting their life story with in-depth exploration of emotionally charged experiences, particularly trauma, to contextualize and integrate them into reorganized memory. Patients will also be complete assessments pre, during and post the intervention to assess and monitor changes to their symptoms. Receives: Other: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change Interview
A change interview is a semi-structured interview designed to explore participants' experiences of therapy, its feasibility, acceptability, and perceived effects. It covers general wellbeing, views on specific NET components (psychoeducation, lifeline, questionnaires, session length), and reflections on discussing traumatic memories. Participants are asked about any changes they noticed, the importance of these changes, whether they attribute them to therapy or other factors, and what aspects were helpful or unhelpful. The interview also explores challenges, unexpected experiences, and the significance of specific traumas or positive memories (flowers) discussed in therapy, as well as differences observed between initial and later lifeline sessions.
Measured: The Change Interview will be conducted at the follow-up phase of study which will occur 4 weeks within the final NET session.
Secondary outcomes (3)
PANSS-6
The PANSS-6 is an abbreviated, clinician-rated version of the 30-item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, focused on three core positive symptoms (Delusions - P1, Conceptual Disorganization - P2, Hallucinatory Behavior - P3) and three negative symptoms (Blunted Affect - N1, Passive/Apathetic Social Withdrawal - N4, Lack of Spontaneity and Flow of Conversation - N6). It's psychometrically scalable and sensitive to symptom changes, with accuracy comparable to the full PANSS-30 for assessing severity, remission, and treatment response.
The PANSS-6 is rated using information collected from the Simplified Negative and Positive Symptoms Interview (SNAPSI) which is a brief semi-structured interview designed to gather information needed to rate the PANSS-6. Clinicians administer the SNAPSI, following its structured probes for each of the six symptom domains, then assign ratings on the 7-point PANSS-6 scale (1 = absent to 7 = extreme) using detailed anchor criteria.
Measured: From baseline to the end of follow up which occurs within 4 weeks of the final NET session.
International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ)
The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is a brief, self-report tool aligned with ICD-11, designed to assess both PTSD and Complex PTSD (CPTSD) via 18 items-measuring three core PTSD domains (re-experiencing in the present, avoidance, and sense of current threat), three Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO) domains (affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, interpersonal difficulties), plus functional impairment for each set of symptoms. Respondents first identify "the experience that troubles you the most" and answer items about symptoms and functioning, rating each from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely").
Measured: From baseline to the end of follow up which occurs within 4 weeks of the final NET session.
DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale)
The DASS-21 (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales - 21 items) is a short, self-report questionnaire designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress.
It contains 21 items (7 per subscale).
Respondents rate how much each statement applied to them over the past week on a 4-point scale (0 = did not apply to me at all, 3 = applied to me very much/most of the time).
Scores for each subscale (depression, anxiety, stress) are summed and then multiplied by 2 to make them comparable with the longer DASS-42 version.
It is not a diagnostic tool, but it provides an indication of the severity of symptoms in each domain.
Measured: From baseline to the end of follow up which occurs within 4 weeks of the final NET session.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Nov 2025
- Study start5 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion2 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion16 Nov 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PsychosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of NottinghamThe 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
- Model description
- This is a single group assignment. All participants will get the same intervention, Narrative Exposure Therapy.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 1 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Nottingham
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Thomas Schroder, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Nottingham
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07237529
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 25052
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 19 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 2 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- What is the Feasibility and Potential Impact of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for People Experiencing Psychosis?
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07237529
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 25052
- Keywords
- Narrative Exposure Therapy, Psychosis, Trauma, Intervention Study
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 1 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of NottinghamUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
- Study start
- 5 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 2 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 16 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Nov 2025 (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 goal of this interventional study is to evaluate the feasibility of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for people experiencing psychosis. The secondary goal of this study is to evaluate the potential impact of NET in reducing symptoms of psychosis and post-traumatic stress. Participants will be patients accessing local NHS mental health services who are between the age of 18 to 65 years-old who have been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and have a history of trauma. The main questions the study aims to answer are:
Is NET feasible to deliver to people experiencing psychosis
Can NET impact symptoms of psychosis in people experiencing psychosis?
Can NET impact symptoms posttraumatic stress in people experiencing psychosis?
Can NET impact symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in people experiencing psychosis?
Participants will be asked to:
Undertake the NET intervention with a trained NET therapist (the number of sessions will be decided based on the need of the participant)
Complete a questionnaire to assess the traumas they have experienced over the course of their life (called the 'Trauma and Life Events' Scale)
Complete a weekly interview to assess their symptoms of psychosis (called the 'Simplified Negative and Positive Symptoms Interview')
Complete weekly measures to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress (called the 'International Trauma Questionnaire')
Complete weekly measures to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress (using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress 21 item Scale [DASS-21])
Complete a follow-up interview to discuss their personal experience of the NET intervention)
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- This is a single group assignment. All participants will get the same intervention, Narrative Exposure Therapy.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) Arm | Experimental | Other: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)In Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), patients construct a detailed narration of their life story with the therapist, focusing on integrating traumatic memories into a coherent whole, including sensory, cognitive, emotional, and physiological aspects. The therapist documents the testimony. After an initial evaluation, including a questionnaire (TALE in this study), patients receive psychoeducation about trauma symptoms, followed by a preparatory introduction. Therapy begins with creating a "lifeline," an autobiographic overview of positive and traumatic events. Patients then undergo "Narrative Exposure," chronologically recounting their life story with in-depth exploration of emotionally charged experiences, particularly trauma, to contextualize and integrate them into reorganized memory. Patients will also be complete assessments pre, during and post the intervention to assess and monitor changes to their symptoms. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)NET always begins with a face-to-face personal interview between the patient and the therapist to carefully assess life events using checklists, followed by an interview about trauma reactions and a thorough psychoeducation about the findings and suggested procedure of NET. In another session, he arousing and meaningful specific events from birth to present are symbolized in their valence in an autobiographical timeline (or 'lifeline'). The patient is then encouraged to share their life story, focusing on adverse and emotionally charged experiences, which are explored in depth using 'Narrative Exposure', and those are reviewed in the subsequent session. | Other | Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) Arm |
Primary outcome
Change Interview
Time frame: The Change Interview will be conducted at the follow-up phase of study which will occur 4 weeks within the final NET session.
A change interview is a semi-structured interview designed to explore participants' experiences of therapy, its feasibility, acceptability, and perceived effects. It covers general wellbeing, views on specific NET components (psychoeducation, lifeline, questionnaires, session length), and reflections on discussing traumatic memories. Participants are asked about any changes they noticed, the importance of these changes, whether they attribute them to therapy or other factors, and what aspects were helpful or unhelpful. The interview also explores challenges, unexpected experiences, and the significance of specific traumas or positive memories (flowers) discussed in therapy, as well as differences observed between initial and later lifeline sessions.
3 secondary outcomes
PANSS-6
Time frame: From baseline to the end of follow up which occurs within 4 weeks of the final NET session.
International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ)
Time frame: From baseline to the end of follow up which occurs within 4 weeks of the final NET session.
DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale)
Time frame: From baseline to the end of follow up which occurs within 4 weeks of the final NET session.
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 2 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
Related trials for Psychosis
RecruitingPhase 3
A Study to Evaluate the Long-term Safety and Tolerability of Xanomeline and Trospium Chloride for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Schizophrenia, Autism-Related Irritability
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Sleep Monitoring for Early Detection of Relapse in People With Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder Receiving Usual Treatment
Bipolar Disorder (BD), SCHIZOPHRENIA 1 (Disorder)
Not yet recruitingPhase 1
Pharmacokinetics and Relative Bioavailability of Intranasal vs Intramuscular Olanzapine in Healthy Adult Participants
Healthy Adult Participants
Active, not recruiting
Designing and Evaluating a Classroom-Based Mental Health Programme for Adolescents.
Mental Health Promotion
RecruitingPhase 2/3
ACP-204 in Adults With Alzheimer's Disease Psychosis
Alzheimer's Disease Psychosis
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.
Lewis Albie MacDonald-Winship, BSc Psychology contact
Thomas Schroder, PhD principal investigator
University of Nottingham
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) in people with Psychosis and Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders, run by University of Nottingham.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Feb 2026. 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?
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 Lewis Albie MacDonald-Winship, BSc Psychology (07399649033, Lewis.MacDonald-Winship@nottingham.ac.uk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change Interview (time frame: The Change Interview will be conducted at the follow-up phase of study which will occur 4 weeks within the final NET session.). 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 2 Feb 2026.