Body Therapy for War Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Summary

The present study is a randomized, controlled trial that compares a certain type of body therapy, called ManuVision, to treatment as usual (TAU) in war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of the study is to determine whether participation in the body therapy treatment by war veterans who have PTSD, will reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression, and improve quality of life, function level and body awareness.

Study hypotheses state that the ManuVision approach, compared to the treatment as usual, will be more effective at reducing the PTSD symptoms experienced by veterans because it will help the veterans learning to become aware of, accept the PTSD symptoms, reading their own emotional state and gain body awareness and subsequently have emotional control and improved coping mechanism when PTSD symptoms arise. The awareness, accept and improved coping mechanisms means that the nervous system is not under the same pressure and that PTSD symptoms therefore may be reduced.

Conditions

• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
• Behavioral Symptoms
• Depression
• Quality of Life

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Body therapy

Body therapy involving direct physical treatments, conversations, breathing exercises and relaxation in the sessions. Moreover, the participants are taught how to practice vipassana or awareness meditation every day at home. The body therapist works directly with the muscle armour and the treatment sessions have focus on creating a safe environment and enabling cognitive realisation and awareness of symptoms. Each participant is assigned a practitioner who acts as contact person and 'lifeline'. Furthermore, a coordinator is assigned in ManuVision who will also act as contact person when needed for the veterans. This provides peace of mind, trust, and ensures retention. The coordinator or the practitioner follows up on the veteran's progress prior to each session.

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as usual

Standard treatment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Board of Health, Denmark

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Soldaterlegatet

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• ManuVision

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark

  collaborator OTHER

• Patientforeningen Danmark

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Southern Denmark

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Nanna Ahlmark, PhD · National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-01-14

Primary Completion

2020-10-01

Completion

2022-01-01

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations