An interventional study of SAH and TAU in Domestic Violence and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, sponsored by Boston University. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in United States. Open to male participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-01.
Sponsored by Boston University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing outcomes between two programs to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV)- the Strength at Home (SAH) program and a standard, state-approved IPV intervention program, Treatment as Usual (TAU). Primary outcomes will include self- and partner-reported physical and psychological IPV. Secondary outcomes will include self-reported PTSD symptoms, alexithymia, alcohol use problems, and treatment satisfaction, assessed across five time points.
A mixed-methods approach will be used for this single site, parallel group RCT. All participants will be randomized at the individual level to Strength at Home (SAH) or Treatment as Usual (TAU), with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Assessments will occur pre-treatment and post-treatment with follow-up assessments scheduled every three months post-treatment through month 12. Assessments have been designed to examine reductions in IPV and other outcomes including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use.
The primary hypotheses are that those receiving SAH will evidence greater reductions in physical and psychological IPV, symptoms of PTSD, alexithymia, and alcohol use problems, and higher treatment satisfaction relative to those receiving TAU across the time points.
The specific aims and sub aims are:
Test the comparative effectiveness of SAH and TAU by conducting an RCT comparing 200 justice-involved men randomly assigned to each program.
Facilitate future use of SAH by working closely with the Stakeholder Advisory Board to identify potential barriers and facilitators to successful implementation in civilian community settings.
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 1,000 is above the median of 69 across 2,196 interventional studies indexed under Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.
Browse Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic studies →Boston University is the lead sponsor of 270 studies on the registry; 36 are open to participants now.
Of its 31 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 24 (77%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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:
SAH isa trauma-informed 12-week intimate partner violence (IPV) intervention program.
Behavioral: SAH
TAU is a 20-week state-approved IPV intervention program.
Behavioral: TAU
SAH is a group trauma informed intervention that uses motivational strategies and self-monitoring of one's thoughts and responses. It provides a unique fusion of interventions for trauma and IPV and consists of 12 two-hour weekly sessions. Throughout the program, group members complete in-session practice exercises and are provided "practice assignments" to consolidate and apply information learned in group.
TAU is a court mandated 20 week, psychoeducational/directed program that emphasizes the sharing of power and control in relationships and personal accountability. Topics also focus on equality wheels, substance abuse impacts, culture and socialization impact on gender roles, defense mechanisms versus coping skills, triggers for stress and anger, and healthy versus unhealthy communication.
IPV Assessment
The Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) is a 39-item measure of individual engagement in or experience of physical or psychological violence with an intimate partner. Each item is asked about both the respondent and the respondent's partner, for a total of 78 questions.The response options include 8 choices (Categories 1-7 and 0). An answer of Category 1 or 2 is coded as the corresponding number of times the specified incident occurred (once or twice in the past year). For Categories 3-5, the midpoint of the category is coded. For example: Category 3 (3-5 times) is coded as 4, Category 4 (6-10 times) is coded as 8, and Category 5 (11-20 times) is coded as 15. Category 6 (More than 20 times) should be coded as 25. Category 7 is given a score of 0 if scores for the previous year do not reflect abuse or conflict. Total scores can range from 0 to 975 and lower scores suggest less conflict.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months
Psychological IPV Assessment
The 7-item Restrictive Engulfment subscale of the Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse (MMEA) will be used as an additional measure of psychological IPV. Each item has 7 potential responses from 0=never to 6= more than 20 times. Scores can range from 0 to 42, with higher scores being associated with more psychological IPV.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The 20-item PTSD Checklist for DSM 5 (PCL-5) will be used to assess PTSD symptoms. It is a self-report measure. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale \[0 to 4\] and summed. Scores range from 0 to 80 with higher scores associated with more PTSD symptoms. A total score of 33 or higher may indicate severe PTSD.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months
Alexithymia
The 20-itemToronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) will be used to assess alexithymia. The TAS-20 uses cutoff scoring, with scores of 52-60 indicating possible alexithymia, and scores above 60 indicating alexithymia.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months
Alcohol Use
Alcohol use will be assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). AUDIT has 10 questions and the possible responses to each question are scored 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, with the exception of questions 9 and 10 which have possible responses of 0, 2 and 4. The range of possible scores is from 0 to 40 where 0 indicates an abstainer who has never had any problems from alcohol.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months
Treatment satisfaction
Participants' satisfaction will be assessed with a 4-item measure used in a study conducted by the Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program.
Time frame: 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Feb 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2028, 46 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 46 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.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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