Anxiety Reduction Treatment for Acute Trauma

Summary

This study is a randomized controlled trial to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief Anxiety Reduction Treatment for Acute Trauma (ARTAT) with adults (over age 18) showing signs of peritraumatic anxiety in the Emergency Department of Bellevue Hospital, New York in the hours following a psychologically traumatic event. Thirty-six participants will be enrolled over a 12-month period: 18 receiving ARTAT and 18 receiving Treatment As Usual (TAU). The study will target anxious arousal in patients immediately (1 to 8 hours) following a trauma. Participants will be recruited from among patients who present in the Emergency Department at Bellevue Hospital for treatment of an injury sustained in a traumatic event (accident, assault) as long as injuries do not preclude participation. Participants included in the study will have experienced a trauma within 8 hours and presenting with signs of a strong risk factor for PTSD: peritraumatic panic (severe psychological and physiological anxiety symptoms such as fear of dying, fear of losing emotional control, tachycardia, sweating, shaking and dissociation symptoms such as derealisation and depersonalization that occur during and immediately following a trauma. Following the initial assessment, eligible participants will be randomized to receive the one-hour anxiety-reduction intervention designed to reduce anxiety and panic symptoms through education and anxiety y management skills or TAU. The clinician administered and self-report assessments will be conducted at screening, baseline, post-treatment, weekly, and at a one-month and three-month follow-up.

Conditions

• Anxiety

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

TAU

Treatment as Usual for patients presenting after accidents and assaults as it pertains to mental health, is a brief intervention that varies in length depending on the patient's needs. If the patient is highly distressed, the social worked will provide brief crisis management support. The social worker also performs case management functions such as attempting to get in touch with family, contacting shelter or hotel if the patient is homeless, contacting other social service agencies if needed, and providing the patient referrals for mental health services in the community. A psychiatrist will also be called to assess the patient only if he or she appears to be a threat to self (suicidal) or others, and exclusion criteria for this study.

BEHAVIORAL

ARTAT

A one-session intervention targeting at-risk individuals (those continuing to experience peritraumatic panic following a trauma) and designed to reduce peritraumatic anxiety and enhance self-efficacy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• NYU Langone Health

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Charles R Marmar, MD · NYU School of Medicine

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2008-06-30

Primary Completion

2010-10-31

Completion

2013-08-31