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Guitars for Vets: Evaluating Psychological Outcome of a Novel Music Therapy

NCT01229904 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 40

Last updated 2015-04-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Post traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition for persons who have served in the Armed services during combat or deployment. Treatments include medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other social support mechanisms.

Our aim in this project is to critically evaluate the effects of a novel music therapy intervention on the symptoms of PTSD. Estimates developed by the Global Burden of Disease Study reveal that mental illness accounts for over 15% of the burden of disease on health and productivity in established market economies--more than the disease burden caused by all cancers combined.\[1\] Perhaps no industry has had the burden of mental disorders affect its labor force as severely and pervasively as the Armed Forces.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common sequelae of severe emotional trauma that is often associated with combat exposure. The condition has been well documented in returning soldiers and is characterized by recurrent and distressing thoughts and feelings related to the trauma, persistent avoidance of reminders of the trauma, and increased arousal that disturbs sleep, concentration, and the ability to modulate anger. Persons suffering from PTSD often have difficulty relating to others, leading to loneliness and isolation, which further intensifies their psychiatric symptoms. Current treatment options for PTSD include psychotherapy, medication management, or a combination of those. Although these treatments have been shown to be effective, returning soldiers are often hesitant to seek and adhere to mental health therapies. PTSD-related avoidance, including difficulty trusting, may serve as a barrier to seeking or completing treatments. Furthermore, some PTSD medications have unacceptable side-effects in some individuals. The need is great, therefore, to identify and promote safe, effective strategies for self-management of PTSD among Veterans.

Conditions

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

music therapy with guitar lessons

The treatment is a 6 week music therapy intervention. Subjects receive 1 hour individual lesson and a 1 hour group session weekly for 6 weeks. they are given a guitar following completion of the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Timothy R. Dillingham, MD MS · Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2010-10-31
Primary Completion
2011-12-31
Completion
2011-12-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01229904 on ClinicalTrials.gov