An interventional study of Written Exposure Therapy and Treatment as Usual in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorders, sponsored by Potomac Health Foundations. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-06-10.
Sponsored by Potomac Health Foundations · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this pilot randomized clinical trial is to test the feasibility and efficacy of written exposure therapy (WET) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the context of residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. All participants meet criteria for PTSD and are in a short term residential SUD treatment program (target residential treatment duration = 28 days) regardless of the research. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1) Is the delivery of WET feasible in short term residential SUD treatment for individuals with severe SUD; 2) Do participants in the TAU+WET condition have greater reductions in PTSD symptoms pre/post treatment compared to participants in TAU alone?
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants randomized to the TAU condition, which involves the standard clinical services available in a short term residential SUD treatment context. Examples of these services are: Individual counseling/case management; Group psychoeducation; Group counseling; Assessment and addiction related medical treatment from a physician; Pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders; 12-step groups. However, participants in this group do not receive treatment that is targeted at decreasing PTSD symptoms.
Behavioral: Treatment as Usual
Participants in this condition receive everything included in TAU plus 5 individual sessions of WET delivered by a therapist. Sessions average less than 60 minutes and primarily involve writing about the traumatic experience that is guided by the therapist.
Behavioral: Written Exposure Therapy · Behavioral: Treatment as Usual
Written Exposure Therapy is a brief, evidenced based intervention for PTSD. WET is generally delivered individually across 5 sessions in which the therapist guides the patient through writing exercises. Across exposure sessions, participants experience habituation so that their symptoms decrease by the end of treatment. WET has an established evidence base in general outpatient psychotherapy for PTSD, but has not been adapted or tested in residential SUD treatment settings.
Treatment as Usual will include a variety of standard care services offered in short term residential treatment. For example, participants receiving TAU will participate in individual case management/general counseling sessions focused on their substance use disorder and its consequences, group based psychoeducation sessions, group based counseling sessions (e.g., relapse prevention planning), individual services with a medical provider and pharmacotherapy (e.g., for withdrawal, relapse prevention, or co-occurring conditions)
Efficacy of WET
PTSD symptom reduction pre/post intervention by treatment arm as measured by the posttraumatic checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The PCL-5 is a self-report questionnaire yielding scores ranging from 0-80 with higher scores indicating greater symptomology.
Time frame: Pre/post intervention window (approximately 3 weeks)
Feasibility of WET delivered in residential SUD treatment context
Percentage of participants in the WET arm who were able to complete the treatment (5 sessions) prior to discharge
Time frame: Up to 4 weeks, or until the participant discharges from residential treatment (whichever comes first).
Acceptability of WET delivered in residential SUD treatment context
Treatment satisfaction scores among WET participants as measured by the 2-part credibility/expectancies questionnaire (CEQ). The CEQ utilizes two scoring systems that range from 1-9 or 0%-100%. with higher scores indicating greater acceptability.
Time frame: Collected post intervention window (approximately 3 weeks from randomization)
Plan to share: Yes — IPD may be shared with other researchers through a de-identified, secure, electronic data transfer as allowed by the IRB and other regulatory authorities.
This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Potomac Health Foundations