In the present study, we aim to investigate the SUPPORT Coach as a tool to enhance traditional trauma-focused psychotherapy. Research questions concern:1. Potential improvement of trauma-focused therapy: Does usage of the SUPPORT Coach app in-…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Anxiety disorders and symptoms
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Potential improvement of trauma-focused therapy: Does usage of the SUPPORT
Coach app in-between treatment sessions potentially enhance the efficacy of
traditional trauma-focused therapy in terms of PTSD symptom reduction? Measured
by the difference in PCL-5 score reduction (continuous) between the
intervention- and control condition at the start of therapysession 6 and 13 of
the traumafocused psychotherapy.
Secondary outcome
Feasibility and acceptance of the SUPPORT Coach app as an adjunct to
traditional trauma-focused psychotherapy. Are patients willing to use the
SUPPORT Coach as an additional tool in between therapy sessions? How often
would they use the app and are they able to use the app on their own
Background summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; life time prevalence in the Netherlands
7.4%) can occur after a traumatic event. Effective psychological treatments are
available, but approximately one-third of the treated patients do not benefit
sufficiently and residual symptoms are a considerable problem. The need to
optimize treatment warrants moving beyond traditional methods. Mobile mental
health is a promising development in this regard. In the proposed study, the
aim is to investigate the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of
the SUPPORT Coach, a smartphone application that helps to understand and cope
better with PTSD symptoms, as a tool complementary to traditional
trauma-focused psychotherapy
Study objective
In the present study, we aim to investigate the SUPPORT Coach as a tool to
enhance traditional trauma-focused psychotherapy. Research questions concern:
1. Potential improvement of trauma-focused therapy: Does usage of the SUPPORT
Coach app in-between treatment sessions potentially enhance the efficacy of
traditional trauma-focused therapy in terms of PTSD symptom reduction?
2. Feasibility and acceptance of the SUPPORT Coach app as an adjunct to
traditional trauma-focused psychotherapy. Are patients willing to use the
SUPPORT Coach as an additional tool in between therapy sessions? How often
would they use the app and are they able to use the app on their own?
Study design
A pilot randomised controlled trial with patients with a PTSD diagnosis
scheduled for trauma focused psychotherapy. The 48 patients will be split in
two groups and 24 will be randomly allocated to the intervention group and 24
patients will be allocated to the control group.
Measurements take place prior to therapy, during the first 12 therapysessions
and a post treatment measurement will take place directly before or in the
first 5 minutes of therapysession 13.
Intervention
The intervention group receives access to the SUPPORT Coach, a mobile
application aiming to help people better understand and self-manage their PTSD
symptoms. The SUPPORT Coach includes psychoeducation, a self-test with a
monitoring feature, and, most importantly, various exercises and tools to cope
with PTSD symptoms. Examples are deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation,
and positive imagination exercises (www.amc.nl/supportcoach).
Study burden and risks
The burden and risks associated with participation are neglible. Patients
follow their own traumafocused psychotherapy and in addition, patients in the
intervention condition will receive acces to the SUPPORT Coach.
Therapists and patients will make procedural arrangements in case of any
emergency and the SUPPORT Coach provides an emergency button.
In the intervention condition patients will be asked to contribute 550 minutes
to the study. Patients in the control group will contribute for 190 minutes. Up
untill now, no (serious) adverse events have been noted in the use of the
SUPPORT Coach.
Meibergdreef 5
Amsterdam 1105 AZ
NL
Meibergdreef 5
Amsterdam 1105 AZ
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
* Adults, minimum 18 years of age
* Referred to a mental health care institute for traumafocused psychotherapy
for PTSD following one or more traumatic experiences
* Meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD as confirmed by the CAPS-5
* In possession of a mobile phone working on ANDROID/IOS operating systems
* Have sufficient understanding of the Dutch language (speaking, writing,
listening)
Exclusion criteria
* Having current high risk for suicide according to M.I.N.I-C
* Having serious psychiatric co-morbidity, i.e. psychotic illness, bipolar
affective disorder, substance-related disorders, severe personality disorder or
mental retardation
* Not having access to a smartphone with an internet connection
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL63180.018.17 |
| OMON | NL-OMON28504 |