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Panic DisorderNCT07769996

Imagery Rescripting for Traumatic Panic Attack Memories

A study testing Imagery Rescripting in people with Panic Disorder, run by İmge eylem yılmaz namlı at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

Completed

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

Official record
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Trial summary

The current project consists of two studies investigating the phenomenological characteristics, centrality levels, and traumatic symptoms of panic attack memories, while testing the effectiveness of the Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) intervention in the treatment of panic disorder. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Panic Disorder
What is being tested?
Imagery Rescripting
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
32 participants
Where
1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
Study dates
1 Oct 2024to 1 Jun 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Being aged between 18 and 65 years. Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing informed consent.
  • Being fluent in written and spoken Turkish. Having a current diagnosis of Panic Disorder according to DSM-5 criteria, confirmed by a psychiatrist.
  • Answering "No" to the traumatic event screening question regarding the index panic memory (i.e., the panic memory does not involve exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or physical threat).

Who cannot join

  • Being under 18 or over 65 years of age. Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent. Insufficient Turkish literacy. Absence of a current psychiatric diagnosis of Panic Disorder according to DSM-5 criteria.
  • Having a lifetime diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) according to DSM-5 criteria.
  • Answering "Yes" to the traumatic event screening question (i.e., presence of an explicit Criterion A traumatic event/physical threat in the index memory).

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
  • Bağcılar Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi

    Istanbul, Bağcılar

Other trials in Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Official title: Investigation of Traumatic Components of Panic Attack Memories and Imagery Rescripting Intervention for Traumatic Panic Attack Memories

The current project consists of two studies investigating the phenomenological characteristics, centrality levels, and traumatic symptoms of panic attack memories, while testing the effectiveness of the Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) intervention in the treatment of panic disorder.

The first study investigates whether panic attack memories share similar phenomenological features, centrality levels, and physiological responses with classic traumatic memories and general negative life event memories in a sample of 152 participants.

The second study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 32 participants diagnosed with panic disorder based on DSM-5 criteria. Participants are randomly assigned to either an Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) intervention group or a control group. The primary objective is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a 6-session ImRs protocol in reducing panic disorder symptoms and physiological arousal associated with panic attack memories.

Read the detailed description

This research project investigates the traumatic properties of panic attack memories and evaluates the therapeutic efficacy of an Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) intervention for individuals diagnosed with Panic Disorder through two interconnected studies. Study 1 utilizes a comparative cross-sectional design with 152 participants to examine the phenomenological characteristics, event centrality, traumatic stress symptom severity, and physiological reactivity of panic attack memories in comparison to classic traumatic memories and negative life event memories. During a structured memory recall and writing task, real-time physiological arousal is recorded via skin conductance and heart rate measurements, followed by the administration of self-report measures including the Autobiographical Memory Characteristics Questionnaire, the Centrality of Event Scale, and the Impact of Event Scale. Building upon these baseline phenomenological findings, Study 2 employs a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Imagery Rescripting in a clinical sample of 32 participants meeting DSM-5 criteria for Panic Disorder. Participants are stratified by gender and randomly assigned to either an Intervention Group (n = 16), receiving a 6-session structured ImRs protocol incorporating psychoeducation, breathing exercises, and healthy adult mode rescripting, or a Control Group (n = 16) serving as a comparison condition. Treatment outcomes across both psychological and physiological domains-assessed via the Autobiographical Memory Characteristics Questionnaire, Centrality of Event Scale, Impact of Event Scale, DSM-5 Panic Disorder Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Panic Self-Efficacy Single-Item Question, and skin conductance/heart rate tracking-are evaluated across three distinct time points: Baseline (Session 1), Post-Intervention (Session 6, following 6 weekly sessions), and a 1-Month Follow-Up (Session 7).

Conditions
Panic Disorder
Being tested
Imagery Rescripting
Keywords
panic disorder, panic attack, trauma, autobiographical memory, imagery rescripting
Medical subject headings
Panic Disorder, Wounds and Injuries

What participants receive

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

  • Imagery RescriptingBehavioural

    The protocol consists of a 6-session Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) intervention followed by a 1-month follow-up assessment. Session 1 involves introduction, study orientation and baseline assessments (physiological recordings during memory writing and psychological scales). Session 2 covers psychoeducation on panic disorder, breathing exercises, and the Safe Place exercise. Session 3 introduces Healthy Adult Imagery to foster adaptive coping mechanisms. Sessions 4 and 5 consist of core ImRs applications targeting traumatic panic attack memories and related early memories, utilizing therapist- or client-led adult interventions to fulfill unmet emotional needs. Session 6 evaluates the intervention outcomes, future concerns and collects post-intervention measurements. Session 7 serves as a 1-month follow-up evaluation with no active intervention.

Study groups in NCT07769996
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Imagery Rescripting GroupExperimentalParticipants in this arm receive a structured 6-session Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) protocol targeting traumatic panic attack memories. The intervention incorporates psychoeducation regarding panic symptoms and autobiographical memory, breathing exercises, and imagery rescripting techniques aimed at modifying the traumatic components of panic memories and developing a healthy adult perspective.
Receives: Behavioral: Imagery Rescripting
Control GroupNo interventionParticipants in this arm are assigned to the control group and do not receive the Imagery Rescripting intervention during the active study phase. Assessment data (physiological measurements and psychological scales) are collected at parallel time points corresponding to the baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up of the intervention group.

What is being measured

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

  1. Change from Baseline in DSM-5 Panic Disorder Symptom Severity at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    The DSM-5 Panic Disorder Scale (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Turkish validation by Balıkçı et al., 2017) was used to measure the severity of panic disorder symptoms over the past 7 days. The scale is a 10-item, single-factor measure. The internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) for the Turkish version was reported as .96. Higher scores reflect greater severity of panic disorder symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

  2. Change from Baseline in Physiological Reactivity (Heart Rate) During Panic Attack Memory Recall at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    Assessed by recording Heart Rate (beats per minute, BpM) an indicator of autonomic nervous system arousal during the panic attack memory writing/recall task. Data are recorded using NeuLog Heart Rate \& Pulse Logger Sensor (NUL-208) attached to the ring finger of the non-dominant hand. Higher values of heart rate reflect greater autonomic arousal and physiological reactivity during traumatic memory recall.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

  3. Change from Baseline in Physiological Reactivity (Skin Conductance Level) During Panic Attack Memory Recall at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    Assessed by recording Skin Conductance (microSiemens) as indicators of autonomic nervous system arousal during the panic attack memory writing/recall task. Data are recorded using NeuLog NeuLog GSR Logger Sensor (NUL-217) attached to the index finger of the non-dominant hand. Higher values of the skin conductance reflect greater autonomic arousal and physiological reactivity during traumatic memory recall.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Change from Baseline in Phenomenological Characteristics of Autobiographical Memory at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    To assess the phenomenological properties of autobiographical memories, the 63-item Autobiographical Memory Characteristics Questionnaire (Boyacıoğlu \& Akfırat, 2015) was utilized. The questionnaire comprises 8 subscales: narrative coherence, reliving, vividness, perceptual detail, field perspective, observer perspective, emotional valence, and emotional intensity. Together, these subscales account for 72% of the total scale variance. In the original validation study, the internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) for the subscales ranged from .66 to .97.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

  2. Change from Baseline in Event Centrality Score at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    Assessed using the 7-item short form of the Centrality of Event Scale (CES) (Berntsen \& Rubin, 2006; Turkish adaptation by Boyacıoğlu \& Aktaş, 2018) to measure the extent to which the traumatic panic memory is integrated into the participant's identity and life story (Cronbach alpha = .89 for negative memories). Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 7 to 35. Higher scores reflect greater event centrality.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

  3. Change from Baseline in Traumatic Stress Symptom Severity at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    Assessed using the 22-item Turkish version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) (Weiss \& Marmar, 1997; Turkish adaptation by Çorapçıoğlu et al., 2006) to evaluate traumatic stress symptoms associated with panic memories over the past week. The scale consists of 3 subscales: Intrusion, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal. Internal consistency values range from .88 to .94. Total scores range from 0 to 88, with higher scores indicating greater severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

  4. Change from Baseline in General Self-Efficacy Score at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    Assessed using the 17-item Turkish version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Sherer et al., 1982; Turkish adaptation by Yıldırım \& Özgür İlhan, 2010) to evaluate individuals' belief in their ability to cope with challenging life events. The scale demonstrates a three-factor structure accounting for 41.47% of the total variance, with an internal consistency coefficient of Cronbach alpha = .80. Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived general self-efficacy.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

  5. Change from Baseline in Perceived Panic Self-Efficacy Score at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up

    Assessed using a single-item question rated on a 6-point Likert scale (ranging from 0 = "Not confident at all" to 5 = "Completely confident"), adapted based on the work by Helbig-Lang (2012). The item asks: "How confident do you feel in your ability to cope with a potential panic attack in the future?" Higher scores reflect greater perceived self-efficacy in managing future panic attacks.

    Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up

Timeline

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

  1. First posted18 Aug 2026
  2. Study start1 Oct 2024
  3. Primary completion1 Jun 2025
  4. Study completion1 Jun 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
A stratified randomized controlled trial design is utilized for the intervention study (Study 2). Participants meeting DSM-5 criteria for Panic Disorder are stratified by gender and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) intervention group (n = 16) or the control group (n = 16).
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
32 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07769996
Sponsor's protocol ID
224K508
Other IDs
224K508, 26.12.2023 10/12, 23.05.2024 2024/09
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
8 Aug 2026
Last updated
18 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will not be shared in order to protect participant confidentiality and privacy, as explicit consent for raw data sharing was not obtained from participants in accordance with the institutional review board (IRB) approval and national data protection regulations. De-identified aggregated data will be made available through peer-reviewed publication results.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Imagery Rescripting in people with Panic Disorder, run by İmge eylem yılmaz namlı at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

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 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Aug 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 Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change from Baseline in DSM-5 Panic Disorder Symptom Severity at Post-Intervention and 1-Month Follow-Up (time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks (post-treatment, following six weekly 50-minute sessions), and 1-month post-treatment follow-up). The study lists 3 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 18 Aug 2026.

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