MedTrace Logo

Treatment of Prolonged Grief Disorder in Combat Veterans

NCT02283333 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 155

Last updated 2021-02-18

Study results available
· View outcomes & findings →

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of an experimental treatment (termed BATE-G) for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) in Veterans compared to the current, VA-approved standard of care treatment. Currently, treatments for grief in Veterans remain understudied. Our research group has recently completed pilot work on an innovative, technology-leveraged treatment protocol for PGD that combines Behavioral Activation with Therapeutic Exposure (BATE) and appears readily applicable to the Veteran and Military populations. Per the VA / DoD Iraq War Clinician Guide, 2nd ed., the current standard of treatment is Cognitive Restructuring and Supportive Grief Counseling.

The study will enroll 140 Veterans, aged 21 years and older, who served in any combat era. All Veterans will meet criteria for PGD. There will be assessments at baseline, 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months post treatment. During the treatment phase, Veterans will undergo 7 weekly sessions of either BATE-G or standard treatment. Sessions 2-6 will be delivered via televideo to the Veteran's home.

We hypothesize that BATE-G will be more effective than standard treatment in reducing symptoms of PGD, both at post-treatment and follow-up. Moreover, BATE-G will be more effective in reducing acute emotional distress and preventing long-term emotional distress in terms of general depression and anxiety symptoms. BATE-G will result in increased frequency of completed positively reinforcing, community-based events when compared to Cognitive Restructuring and Supportive Grief Counseling. BATE-G will also result in greater improvements in perceived social support and health.

Note: This project is the first evidence-based treatment for PGD in military populations, thus addressing a significant service gap.

Conditions

  • Prolonged Grief Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

BATE-G

Behavioral Activation and Therapeutic Exposure - Grief therapy is delivered in 7 weekly sessions to the participant.

BEHAVIORAL

Standard Treatment

Cognitive Restructuring and Supportive Grief Counseling is delivered in 7 weekly sessions to the participant.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • VA Office of Research and Development

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Ron E. Acierno, PhD MS BA · Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
21 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2014-12-01
Primary Completion
2020-02-28
Completion
2020-08-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

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 NCT02283333 on ClinicalTrials.gov