N/A Completed N=82 Randomized Triple-blind Treatment

Enhancement of PTSD Treatment With Computerized Executive Function Training

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03260127 ↗

Enrolled (actual)

Serious AEs

0.0%

Results posted

Apr 2024

Primary outcomePrimary: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) — -2.69; -1.47 score on a scale

Summary

This study focuses on helping Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) benefit fully from therapy by first enhancing their thinking abilities. PTSD has been associated with thinking problems, including difficulty planning/organizing, thinking flexibly, and inhibiting distracting emotional information. There is some evidence that computerized training programs are helpful for improving thinking. Therefore, this study tests whether computerized cognitive training will in fact improve individuals' thinking abilities and if this will in turn improve PTSD treatment outcomes and lead to more individuals completing treatment and showing greater improvements in emotional symptoms and quality of life than standard therapy (when paired with a word training condition).

Outcome Measures

Outcome	Result	p-value
PRIMARY Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)	-2.69; -1.47	—
PRIMARY Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT)	14.32; 10.88	—
PRIMARY Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS)	-4.90; -3.81	—
PRIMARY Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)	-6.52; -3.50	—
PRIMARY WAIS-IV Digit Span Sequencing Subtest	1.03; .31	—
PRIMARY N-Back Task Performance	.04; -.01	—
PRIMARY Go/No-Go Task Performance	-.01; -.001	—
SECONDARY Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM 5 (CAPS-5)	-8.18; -4.96	—
SECONDARY PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)	-12.64; -11.70	—
SECONDARY World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF	1.61; 1.39	—
SECONDARY Time (in Minutes) Spent Completing Cognitive Processing Therapy Homework	426.68; 448.28	—
SECONDARY Number of CPT Sessions Completed	6.76; 7.78	—

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans enrolled at Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS)
aged 18-55
current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis
endorsement of cognitive complaints
no pending medication changes
English-speaking.

Exclusion Criteria

active substance use disorder in the last month
suicidal intent or attempt within the last month
schizophrenia, psychotic disorder and/or bipolar disorder
dementia
premorbid IQ < 70
participation in other concurrent PTSD intervention studies
previous completion of more than 4 Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) sessions
history of a documented neurological disorder (e.g., Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy)
moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) (i.e., loss of consciousness greater than 30 minutes or post-traumatic amnesia greater than 24 hours).

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03260127). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.