Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) for Treating Pediatric Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

NCT ID: NCT06956781

Last Updated: 2025-12-15

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

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

200 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-31

Study Completion Date

2028-08-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to test the extent to which different treatment components work to improve pediatric post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It will also provide evidence for how these components work. The main research questions are:

What are the effects of different components used to treat PTSD? What do these components change to produce benefits in PTSD?

Researchers will:

Compare components to a psychological placebo to estimate their effects and measure how they work

Examine how components work alone and in conjunction with other components

Participants will:

Receive different combinations of components and placebo

Attend weekly treatment sessions

Provide information to evaluate changes in PTSD

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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PTSD Trauma Pediatric ALL

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

2\^4 Full Factorial Randomized Clinical Trial
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors
Independent and masked raters of treatment fidelity; Independent and masked raters of processes of change during active treatment

Study Groups

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Treatment Condition 10

Participants receive exposure, cognitive processing, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Treatment Condition 11

Participants receive exposure, bi-lateral stimulation, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 12

Participants receive exposure and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Treatment Condition 13

Participants receive cognitive processing, bi-lateral stimulation, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 14

Participants receive cognitive processing and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Treatment Condition 15

Participants receive bi-lateral stimulation and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 16

Participants receive psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Treatment Condition 1

Participants receive emotion regulation, exposure, cognitive processing, and bi-lateral stimulation

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 2

Participants receive emotion regulation, exposure, cognitive processing, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Treatment Condition 3

Participants receive emotion regulation, exposure, bi-lateral stimulation, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 4

Participants receive emotion regulation, exposure, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Treatment Condition 5

Participants receive emotion regulation, cognitive processing, bi-lateral stimulation, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 6

Participants receive emotion regulation, cognitive processing, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Treatment Condition 7

Participants receive emotion regulation, bi-lateral stimulation, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Treatment Condition 8

Participants receive emotion regulation and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Emotion Regulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Treatment Condition 9

Participants receive exposure, cognitive processing, bi-lateral stimulation, and psychological placebo

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychological Placebo

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Cognitive Processing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Interventions

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Psychological Placebo

Participants receive non-directive support therapy, where they will guide the treatment session but not be required to discuss prior trauma exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Emotion Regulation

Participants learn to reduce acute subjective distress, stabilize negative mood, promote positive mood, and alter physiological responses to trauma

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Exposure

Participants engage in written exercises to reduce avoidance of trauma reminders and reinforce approach behaviors consistent with personal goals

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive Processing

Participants learn ways to identify, challenge, and overcome the influence of cognitive distortions resulting from trauma exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Bi-lateral Stimulation

Participants engage in horizontal eye movements while recalling a traumatic memory and describing their affective and physiological state

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

A child between the ages of 8-17 exposed to at least one DSM-defined trauma

Child assent for participation

The participation of a caregiver with custodial rights to provide parental permission

Willing to participate in treatment delivery and respond to surveys

Meet PTSD diagnostic criteria that is the result of exposure to at least one of the identified traumas

Ability to read and understand English

Willingness to be randomized to an experimental condition

Placement in a stable caregiving environment for two months without an impending transition

Children currently taking psychotropic medications must have taken the medicine without dose adjustment for two months prior to study entry.

Caregiver or child with a smartphone capable of downloading a freely available software application.

Exclusion Criteria

Psychiatric concerns requiring a higher level of care (e.g. suicidal ideation with intent; current psychotic disorder)

An intelligence quotient (IQ) \< 70

Currently receiving a behavioral health intervention for concerns related to PTSD or pediatric trauma

A participating caregiver who is a perpetrator of any identified trauma (e.g. sexual abuse)

MRI contraindicators (e.g. presence of metal in the body)
Minimum Eligible Age

8 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

17 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Rochester

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Chad Shenk

Professor of Psychology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Chad E Shenk, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Rochester

Locations

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The Mt. Hope Family Center

Rochester, New York, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Chad E Shenk, PhD

Role: CONTACT

(585) 275-8704

Facility Contacts

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Haley Trehern, BS

Role: primary

585-481-7609

Chad Shenk, PhD

Role: backup

585-273-3264

Other Identifiers

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STUDY00010448

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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