An interventional study of Art Therapy in PTSD, Military Activity and Post-Traumatic Headache, sponsored by Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 64 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-08.
Sponsored by Walter Reed National Military Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 1,662 studies in Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic with a site in United States — 340 open to participants now, 405 under way, 18 of them phase 3. Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic · United States.
Among the 1,662 studies in Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic with a site in United States, this one is the 963rd largest by planned enrollment of the 1,489 interventional ones, is one of 116 that started in 2022, is one of 1,010 with no phase, reaches primary completion later than 104 of the 404 other live ones, and was the 1,186th registered.
2,682 studies on the registry are indexed under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; 601 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 69 across 2,196 interventional studies indexed under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.
Browse Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic studies →340 of the 1,662 studies in Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic with a site in United States are open now, in 7 countries. Each count lists the studies.
Of the 417 Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic studies recruiting now, 186 (45%) set no upper age limit and 205 (49%) stop at 75 or younger; 63 take children under 18; 89 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years to 64 Years · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →1,662 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 1991; this study’s year is marked. 116 started in 2022.
Median enrollment 66 across the 1,489 interventional studies, 110 across the 165 observational. Of the 1,132 that completed or were terminated, 490 (43%) have results posted.
98 of 1,662 have an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 78 studies on the registry; 20 are open to participants now.
Of its 10 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 3 (30%) have results posted.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center has 6 studies filed under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
154 of the studies in Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic with a site in United States that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 3 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT06117306Phase 3Healing BreakthroughMDMA-assisted Massed Prolonged Exposure for PTSD | 2027-03 |
| NCT04877093Phase 3Wake Forest University Health SciencesRepurposing Low-Dose Clonidine for PTSD in Veterans | 2027-03-31 |
| NCT06273527Phase 3University of California, San DiegoEnhancing Transdiagnostic Mechanisms of Cognitive Dyscontrol (R33) | 2027-06-01 |
| NCT07217795University of Rhode IslandRecovery Through Inhibitory Learning, Self-Efficacy Building, Problem Solving, and Community Building | 2026-11 |
| NCT04585685Christal L BadourHealthy Recovery After Trauma Study | 2026-11 |
Among the 1,662 studies in Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic with a site in United States, from their registry updates:
Art therapy is used across the Military Health System for treatment of posttraumatic symptoms, but there is limited research on how art therapy is able to restore emotional expression and regulation in service members. This research hopes to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the neurological systems at work. If a participant chooses to be in this study, he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session will be an interview and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. The following eight sessions will be one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The tenth session will consist of the same self-assessment questionnaires and another MRI scan. The final session will consist of some of the same questionnaires from the tenth visit, as well as a qualitative interview done virtually three months after the tenth visit.
Art Therapy is used across the Military Health System (MHS) as part of interdisciplinary treatment programs with great success, but there is limited research on how this art therapy works. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the impact of art therapy on brain systems. If a participant chooses to be in this study he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session and tenth sessions of this research study will include interviews and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. These sessions will be about 2.5 to 3 hours. The sessions two through nine will include a one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The art therapy sessions are also considered research interventions. The eleventh and final session will consist of some of the same questionnaires from the tenth visit, as well as a qualitative interview done virtually three months after the tenth visit.
There is the risk that participants may experience increased psychological or emotional distress or frustration when discussing traumatic events during either the art research intervention sessions or during the questionnaires or interviews. Participants may experience a reduction in symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress (PTS), mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and/or other psychological heath disorders through the art therapy process. However, there is no guarantee that participants will benefit from being in this research. As an alternative to this research, participants can talk to your physician about art therapy or other therapeutic options.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
8 weeks of individual art therapy
Behavioral: Art Therapy
During the art research intervention session, the art therapist will walk you through the creation of various types of art and may spend time asking you about the artwork, how you are felling, as well as your past experiences.
The Primary Outcome Measure is analysis of functional neuroimaging metrics
The primary outcome measure is the analysis of resting state and task based functional MRI data which include but functional connectivity measures between brain regions at rest and during the task as well as functional activation patterns during the task. MRI and a series of task based fMRI sequences.
Time frame: Baseline
The Primary Outcome Measure is analysis of functional neuroimaging metrics
The primary outcome measure is the analysis of resting state and task based functional MRI data which include but functional connectivity measures between brain regions at rest and during the task as well as functional activation patterns during the task. MRI and a series of task based fMRI sequences.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
A 20-item instrument that measures alexithymia defined as trouble identifying and describing emotions. A 20-item instrument that measures alexithymia defined as trouble identifying and describing emotions. Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale whereby 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree.
Time frame: Baseline
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
A 20-item instrument that measures alexithymia defined as trouble identifying and describing emotions. Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale whereby 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by that problem in the past month". Items are rated on a scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely")
Time frame: Baseline
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by that problem in the past month". Items are rated on a scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely")
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual Five (DSM-V) (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by that problem in the past month". Items are rated on a scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely")
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI)
A self-reported questionnaire that measures common post concussive symptoms. The severity of each symptom as experienced in the last two weeks is rated on a scale (0) none to (4) very severe
Time frame: Baseline
Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI)
A self-reported questionnaire that measures common post concussive symptoms. The severity of each symptom as experienced in the last two weeks is rated on a scale (0) none to (4) very severe
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory (NSI)
A self-reported questionnaire that measures common post concussive symptoms. The severity of each symptom as experienced in the last two weeks is rated on a scale (0) none to (4) very severe
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES)
A self-report questionnaire that predicts coping with and adapting to stressful life event. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is measured on a scale of 1 (not true at all) to 4 (exactly true).
Time frame: Baseline
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES)
A self-report questionnaire that predicts coping with and adapting to stressful life event. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is measured on a scale of 1 (not true at all) to 4 (exactly true).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES)
A self-report questionnaire that predicts coping with and adapting to stressful life event. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is measured on a scale of 1 (not true at all) to 4 (exactly true).
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
A self-rated questionnaire that screens for generalized anxiety disorder. A recommended threshold for further evaluation is a score of 10 or greater
Time frame: Baseline
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
A self-rated questionnaire that screens for generalized anxiety disorder. A recommended threshold for further evaluation is a score of 10 or greater
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
A self-rated questionnaire that screens for generalized anxiety disorder. A recommended threshold for further evaluation is a score of 10 or greater
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame: Baseline
Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the level of perceived stress for a participant. How often the participant experiences each event is rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (very often).
Time frame: Baseline
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the level of perceived stress for a participant. How often the participant experiences each event is rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (very often).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the level of perceived stress for a participant. How often the participant experiences each event is rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (very often).
Time frame: Study completion, an average of six to eight months
Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ-II)
A self-report questionnaire that measures the strength of the client therapist alliance. The extent to which the participant agrees with each statement is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree)
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Moral Injury Events Scale (MIES)
A self-report survey that measures potentially morally injurious events. Each phrase is reacted on a Likert scale of 1 (Strongly Agree) to 6 (strongly disagree).
Time frame: Baseline
Moral Injury Events Scale (MIES)
A self-report survey that measures potentially morally injurious events. Each phrase is reacted on a Likert scale of 1 (Strongly Agree) to 6 (strongly disagree).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 14 weeks
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Feb 2022 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2026, 58 months after the start.
Of 1,064 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, half reached primary completion within 35 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 17 and three quarters within 53. This study's planned 58 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,092 studies reached it within 34 months; a quarter within 17 and three quarters within 53.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
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Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic →
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center