Stress Management Program for World Trade Center (WTC) Responders

NCT ID: NCT02457780

Last Updated: 2016-12-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

157 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2013-08-31

Study Completion Date

2016-12-31

Brief Summary

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Many responders to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster continue to experience significant mental and physical health problems. Two of the most common health problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and respiratory illness, often occur together. Mental health conditions, such as PTSD, make physical illnesses worse and interfere with treatment. The primary goal of this study is to test a mind-body treatment designed to reduce both PTSD and respiratory symptoms.

Detailed Description

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Mind-body interventions including relaxation training and other coping skills are effective for patients with both mental and physical health problems. A leading mind-body treatment is the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) developed at Harvard. This treatment has been shown to reduce both mental and physical health symptoms.

The objective of this study is to adapt the 3RP to WTC responders and test its ability to reduce both PTSD and respiratory symptoms. This treatment will be compared to a Health Enhancement Program that addresses negative health behaviors. The investigators will randomly assign 175 patients with ongoing WTC-related PTSD and respiratory illness to the 3RP or Health Enhancement Program and will assess outcomes immediately after the treatment and at 3 and 6 month follow-ups.

Conditions

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PTSD Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory

Keywords

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PTSD Trauma World Trade Center Respiratory Mind-Body

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Relaxation Response Resiliency Program

The Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) is an 8-session (90min/session) group based intervention which includes a variety of skills and techniques designed to address chronic stress. Techniques used include psychoeducation on healthy lifestyle behaviors, goal-setting, CBT skills, relaxation training and self-monitoring.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The 3RP is designed to decrease psychiatric and physical health symptoms and build resiliency by teaching skills to (1) elicit the relaxation response, (2) decrease stress reactivity and (3) increase social connectedness. Eliciting the relaxation response involves sustained mental focus with an attitude of receptive awareness with strategies aimed at reducing muscle tension, breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. Decreasing stress reactivity involves increasing awareness of the stress response and learning skills to proactively address stress. Increasing connectedness involves skills to promote positive growth, self-efficacy and social support. Other skills and experiential exercises focus on increasing acceptance, optimism, empathy, and appreciation to promote resiliency.

Health Enhancement Program

The Health Enhancement Program (HEP) is an 8-session (90min/session) group based intervention which includes psychoeducation and self-monitoring of health behaviors (e.g., sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise, substance use etc).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Health Enhancement Program (HEP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The HEP is designed to address comorbid physical and mental health symptoms via psychoeducation, self-monitoring and goal setting techniques. It is an 8 session manualized group intervention which addresses topics including sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise, working with a healthcare team, and substance use. The program uses a variety of in-session activities to engage participants in discussion related to self-care and wellness principles. Relapse prevention and long-term goal setting are addressed. The program is designed to be implemented by professionals with a background in mental health.

Interventions

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Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP)

The 3RP is designed to decrease psychiatric and physical health symptoms and build resiliency by teaching skills to (1) elicit the relaxation response, (2) decrease stress reactivity and (3) increase social connectedness. Eliciting the relaxation response involves sustained mental focus with an attitude of receptive awareness with strategies aimed at reducing muscle tension, breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. Decreasing stress reactivity involves increasing awareness of the stress response and learning skills to proactively address stress. Increasing connectedness involves skills to promote positive growth, self-efficacy and social support. Other skills and experiential exercises focus on increasing acceptance, optimism, empathy, and appreciation to promote resiliency.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Health Enhancement Program (HEP)

The HEP is designed to address comorbid physical and mental health symptoms via psychoeducation, self-monitoring and goal setting techniques. It is an 8 session manualized group intervention which addresses topics including sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise, working with a healthcare team, and substance use. The program uses a variety of in-session activities to engage participants in discussion related to self-care and wellness principles. Relapse prevention and long-term goal setting are addressed. The program is designed to be implemented by professionals with a background in mental health.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

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Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART)

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* PCL score equal to or greater than 35
* 2 or more lower respiratory symptoms

Exclusion Criteria

* Regular elicitation of the relaxation response
* History of psychosis
* Current unmanaged bipolar disorder
* History of suicide attempt --OR-- current ideation with plan or intent
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH/CDC)

FED

Sponsor Role collaborator

Stony Brook University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Adam Gonzalez, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Stony Brook University Department of Psychiatry

Locations

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Stony Brook University, Putnam Hall

Stony Brook, New York, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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1U01OH010524-01

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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