N/A
N=29
Expressing Personal Recollections in English or Spanish to Alleviate Traumatic Emotions (Exprésate)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05090839 ↗Enrolled (actual)
29
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Aug 2025
Primary outcome: Primary: Change in PTSD Symptoms as Assessed by the Impact of Event Scale — -.383; 6.43; -3.18; -2.11 score on a scale — p=<0.05
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Weekly Emotional Disclosure (WED) (Behavioral); Weekly Emotional Disclosure (WED) Spanish (Behavioral)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 21+ yrs
- Sex
- Female
- Sponsor
- University of Miami
- Primary completion
- Feb 2023
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Change in PTSD Symptoms as Assessed by the Impact of Event Scale |
-.383; 6.43; -3.18; -2.11 | <0.05 sig |
| PRIMARY Changes in Verbal Learning as Assessed by Hopkins Verbal Learning Task |
10.43; 11.67; 12; 9.80 | — |
| SECONDARY Change in Functional Activity of the Default Mode Network (DMN). |
.702; -.716; -.225; -.118 | <0.05 sig |
| SECONDARY Change in Salivary Measures of Stress Reactivity. |
-871.9; -250.87; -622.3; -129.53 | <0.05 sig |
Summary
The purpose of this study is to test if expressive writing about traumatic events has positive changes in women living with post-traumatic stress.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Age ≥ 21 years
- Elevated PTSD symptoms as assessed by the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist Scale-Version DSM 5 (PCL-5) using a cut-off of 34 or above
- On a stable anti-retroviral therapy regimen for > 6 months as assessed with the Adult AIDS Clinical Trial Group structured interview
- Spanish-English bilingual as measured by the Brief Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (cut-off of 3), Spanish speaker or English speaker
- Participant is willing and able to sign Informed Consent Form (ICF)
- self-report as Latina
- HIV positive serostatus as determined by medical record within the last 12 months
- Born female.
Exclusion Criteria
- Left-handedness or ambidextrous
- Inability to tolerate the scanning procedures
- Metal in body or prior history working with metal fragments
- Any other contraindications for MRI examination (e.g., metallic implants such as pacemakers, surgical aneurysm clips, or known metal fragments embedded in the body)
- currently pregnant or could be pregnant
- Heavy alcohol intake (> 3 drinks) within 12 hours prior to participation in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
- Evidence from health history of neurological or systemic disorder which can cause cognitive impairment
- Self-reported current diagnosis of psychiatric disorder or psychoactive substance abuse or dependence
- Recent history (within two years) of myocardial infarction
- Severe cardiovascular disease, or currently active cardiovascular disease (e.g., angina, cardiomyopathy)
- Uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension
- History of closed trauma with loss of consciousness
- Space occupying lesions (e.g., mass lesions, tumors)
- Central Nervous System (CNS) infection
- CNS vasculitis
- CNS demyelinating disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis)
- Congenital CNS abnormality (e.g., cerebral palsy)
- Seizure disorders
- History of cerebrovascular disease (e.g., stroke, TIA's)
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05090839). 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.