Testing the Use of Interoceptive Exposure to Reduce Barriers to Psychotherapy
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Anxiety |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 65 |
| Updated: | 4/2/2016 |
| Start Date: | November 2008 |
| Contact: | Kevin S Del Ben, Ph.D. |
| Email: | kdelben@psychiatry.umsmed.edu |
| Phone: | 601-984-5807 |
To assess the effectiveness of Interoceptive Exposure (IE) as a treatment to reduce negative
cognitions and arousal in a veteran sample during an anxiety-inducing situation (i.e., the
Trier Social Stressor Task - an analogue to the anxiety of undergoing exposure-based
treatment). After completing the initial screening, qualifying participants will complete a
pre-intervention assessment at UMC (structured clinical interview, self-report measures, and
a treatment-engagement analogue exercise). Half of the participants will be randomized into
either supportive counseling or to the treatment protocol at GVSMVAMC consisting of four
sessions of Interoceptive Exposure over a four week period targeting interoceptive stimuli.
Veterans will be assessed a second time at UMC after treatment (5 to 6 weeks after the first
assessment). Participants will include approximately 40 male OEF/OIF veterans with
combat-related PTSD recruited from the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) and Post-deployment
Clinic at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VAMC (GVSMVAMC). Following the pre-intervention
assessment, veterans will be randomized into one of two groups. Half of the veterans (n =
20) will receive received four weeks of supportive counseling while the other half will
receive four weeks of Interoceptive Exposure (IE). The proposed study examines anxiety
sensitivity (AS) as a possible barrier to treatment engagement in exposure therapy for PTSD.
AS is a dispositional cognitive characteristic defined as the fear of sensations directly
related to autonomic arousal that arises from the belief that these sensations have harmful
consequences. Interoceptive Exposure (IE) is an intervention that: 1) helps individuals with
high AS increase their tolerance to the somatic sensations of arousal; and 2) promotes an
adaptive appraisal of fear-related sensations The current study will use a social stressor
task to assess the affect of IE on AS and avoidance among veterans who have PTSD, thereby
increasing the likelihood that a veteran will enter into, and remain in, treatment for PTSD.
cognitions and arousal in a veteran sample during an anxiety-inducing situation (i.e., the
Trier Social Stressor Task - an analogue to the anxiety of undergoing exposure-based
treatment). After completing the initial screening, qualifying participants will complete a
pre-intervention assessment at UMC (structured clinical interview, self-report measures, and
a treatment-engagement analogue exercise). Half of the participants will be randomized into
either supportive counseling or to the treatment protocol at GVSMVAMC consisting of four
sessions of Interoceptive Exposure over a four week period targeting interoceptive stimuli.
Veterans will be assessed a second time at UMC after treatment (5 to 6 weeks after the first
assessment). Participants will include approximately 40 male OEF/OIF veterans with
combat-related PTSD recruited from the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) and Post-deployment
Clinic at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VAMC (GVSMVAMC). Following the pre-intervention
assessment, veterans will be randomized into one of two groups. Half of the veterans (n =
20) will receive received four weeks of supportive counseling while the other half will
receive four weeks of Interoceptive Exposure (IE). The proposed study examines anxiety
sensitivity (AS) as a possible barrier to treatment engagement in exposure therapy for PTSD.
AS is a dispositional cognitive characteristic defined as the fear of sensations directly
related to autonomic arousal that arises from the belief that these sensations have harmful
consequences. Interoceptive Exposure (IE) is an intervention that: 1) helps individuals with
high AS increase their tolerance to the somatic sensations of arousal; and 2) promotes an
adaptive appraisal of fear-related sensations The current study will use a social stressor
task to assess the affect of IE on AS and avoidance among veterans who have PTSD, thereby
increasing the likelihood that a veteran will enter into, and remain in, treatment for PTSD.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Interested OEF/OIF veterans with a reported history of combat-related trauma,
probable PTSD diagnosis (score above 44 on the PTSD Checklist), scores above 28 on
the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), and who have been medically cleared will be
invited to participate (study personnel will assist the participant in getting
clearance from their primary care physician or TRP staff).
Exclusion Criteria:
- Veterans will be excluded if they are judged to have medical conditions that might
limit cooperation or compromise the integrity of the self-report or
psychophysiological data (e.g., uncontrolled blood pressure, severe asthma, dementia,
psychotic disorder, acute mania, current substance abuse, or taking medications that
would reduce physiological responding). Veterans who are currently receiving (or who
are scheduled to begin) individual exposure-based treatment for PTSD will be excluded
from the study. As this project is designed as a pilot study, no exclusions will be
made based on previous treatment or previous treatment refusal; however, treatment
history data will be collected.
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