Citation

Powers MB, Pogue JR, Curcio NE, Patel S, Wierzchowski A, Thomas EV, Warren AM, Adams M, Turner E, Carl E, Froehlich-Grobe K, Sikka S, Foreman M, Leonard K, Douglas M, Bennett M, Driver S. Contemp. Clin. Trials Commun. 2021; 22: 100763.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100763

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates 294,000 people in the US live with a spinal cord injury (SCI), with approximately 17,810 new cases each year. Although the physical outcomes associated with SCI have been widely studied, the psychological consequences of sustaining a SCI remain largely unexplored. Scant research has focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this population, despite prevalence estimates suggesting that up to 60% of individuals with SCI experience PTSD post-injury, compared to only 7% of the general US population. Fortunately, prolonged exposure therapy (PE) is a well-researched and highly effective treatment for PTSD. However, no trauma focused exposure-based therapy for PTSD (e.g. PE) has not yet been tested in a SCI population. Thus, we aim to conduct the first test of an evidence-based intervention for PTSD among patients with SCI. Adults with SCI and PTSD (N = 60) will be randomly assigned to either: (1) 12-sessions of PE (2-3 sessions per week) or (2) a treatment as usual (TAU) control group who will receive the standard inpatient rehabilitation care for SCI patients. Primary outcomes will be assessed at 0, 6, 10, and 32 weeks.

Language: en

Keywords

PTSD; Spinal cord injury; Prolonged exposure therapy; Randomized controlled trial