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CompletedNCT00329992Updated Jan 20, 2010

Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD - a Randomized Controlled Trial

A Phase 3 interventional study of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD in Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, sponsored by University of Zurich. Completed at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2010-01-20.

Sponsored by University of Zurich · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 70 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Participants are randomly assigned to either 16 sessions of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy (Gersons et al. (2000) Journal Trauma Stress 13: 333-348), comprising psychoeducation, exposure, mementos and writing assignments, domain of meaning and integration, farewell ritual, or a minimal attention control group that will be offered 16 sessions of BEP after a waiting time of four months. Participants in the minimal attention control group receive monthly telephone calls and complete a symptom self monitoring diary (Tarrier, N. et al. (1999) Behavior Therapy 30: 597-605) for three weeks.

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Conditions studied

  • Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
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In context

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

2,239 studies on the registry are indexed under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; 554 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 30 is below the median of 70 across 1,858 interventional studies indexed under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.

Browse Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Zurich is the lead sponsor of 1,030 studies on the registry; 130 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 70 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Clear memory of an "index" traumatic event (sufficient for constructing a scene to be used in exposure) that occurred no less than six months prior to entering the trial (Montgomery and Bech 2000)
  • PTSD according to the DSM-IV, related to the index traumatic event, as measured with the CAPS: frequency ≥ 1 and intensity ≥ 2 for a symptom to be counted plus a minimum level of overall severity ≥ 50
  • Not receiving other psychotherapy for PTSD during the 16 weeks of active treatment; psychotherapy for other problems, brief check-ins with an existing therapist, and attendance at self-help groups will be allowed
  • If on psychoactive medication: on a stable medication regimen for a minimum of two months prior to entering the trial
  • Aged between 18 and 70 years
  • Sufficient proficiency in the German language to participate in BEP
  • Consent to be randomized into the trial

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current psychotic, bipolar, substance-related, or severe personality disorder
  • Current severe depressive disorder
  • Severe cognitive impairment or a history of organic mental disorder
  • Evidence of PTSD or depression immediately prior to the index trauma
  • Ongoing threat of traumatic exposure
  • Prominent current suicidal or homicidal ideation
  • Asylum seeking status
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
30 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Treatment group

    16 sessions Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy

    Behavioral: Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD

  • Placebo comparator
    Control group

    Minimal attention waitlist group

    Behavioral: Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD

Interventions

  • BehavioralBrief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD

    16 weekly sessions (50min) of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD

    Also known as: BEP

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. PTSD symptom severity (CAPS, Blake et al. 1998; Post-therapy / post-waitlist comparison, controlled for baseline scores

    Time frame: Last month

Secondary outcomes

  1. Ability to work and use of health care facilities

    Time frame: Last months

  2. Comorbidity: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV SCID I (First et al. 1996); Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS (Zigmond and Snaith 1983)

    Time frame: Last month

  3. Questions on Life Satisfaction FLZ (Henrich and Herschbach 2000)

    Time frame: Last month

  4. Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory PTCI (Foa et al. 1999)

    Time frame: Last month

  5. Posttraumatic Growth Inventory PGI (Tedeschi and Calhoun 1996)

    Time frame: Since trauma

  6. EEG, event-related potentials: P300

    Time frame: At assessment

  7. Post-therapy / post-waitlist comparison, follow-up at 6month post therapy

    Time frame: Last month

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Psychiatric Department, University Hospital
    Zurich, 8091, Switzerland
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Schnyder U, Muller J, Maercker A, Wittmann L. Brief eclectic psychotherapy for PTSD: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Apr;72(4):564-6. doi: 10.4088/JCP.10l06247blu. No abstract available. PubMed 21527127 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 20, 2010, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00329992
Lead sponsor
University of Zurich
Collaborators
Swiss National Science Foundation, Herrmann-Klaus-Stiftung, Switzerland, Olga Mayenfisch Stiftung, Zurich, Switzerland, Jubiläumsspende für die Universität Zürich, Switzerland
First posted
May 25, 2006
Start date
Apr 2004
Primary completion
May 2009
Completion
Dec 2009
Last update
Jan 20, 2010

Study contacts

Ulrich Schnyder, MD
principal investigator · University of Zurich
Lutz Wittmann, MA
principal investigator · University of Zurich

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2010. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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