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The Effectiveness of Guided Written Exposure Therapy for Complex PTSD in Adolescents

NCT07325734 · Peking University
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Official title
The Effectiveness of Guided Written Exposure Therapy for Complex PTSD in Adolescents: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
About this study
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of group Guided Written Exposure Therapy for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (GWE-C) among Chinese adolescents through a randomized controlled trial. A total of 120 participants will be recruited, with 60 randomized to the GWE-C group and 60 randomized to the supportive therapy (ST) group. The GWE-C intervention will consist of 7 to 10 group sessions. The primary outcome, assessed by the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), will be measured at baseline, post-treatment, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up.
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Aged between 10 and 18 years; 2. Meet the diagnostic or subclinical criteria for Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), defined as missing at most one symptom from either the PTSD or DSO clusters; 3. Possess sufficient literacy and language skills to complete writing-based tasks; 4. Be able to understand the study procedures and complete the required assessments; 5. Provide written informed consent, with consent also obtained from their legal guardians. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Presence of a severe psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disorder, such as schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, or other severe psychiatric conditions that would interfere with study participation; 2. Presence of a severe physical illness that would impair the ability to engage in the intervention; 3. Assessed as being at high suicidal risk (e.g., current suicidal ideation with intent or plan, recent suicide attempt within the past 12 months, or severe self-harm behaviors); 4. Ongoing exposure to traumatic events; 5. Currently receiving other trauma-focused psychological treatments.
Study design
Enrollment target: 130 participants
Allocation: randomized
Masking: single
Age groups: child, adult
Timeline
Starts: 2025-10-10
Estimated completion: 2026-12-25
Last updated: 2026-09-02
Interventions
Behavioral: Group Guided Written Exposure Therapy for CPTSD (GWE-C)Behavioral: Supportive Group
Primary outcomes
  • CPTSD Symptom Severity (self-report) (baseline(week 0), post treatment (week 3), 1-month follow-up (week 7), 3-month follow-up (week 15))
  • CPTSD Symptom Severity (interview) (baseline(week 0), post treatment (week 3), 1-month follow-up (week 7), 3-month follow-up (week 15))
Sponsor
Peking University · other
Contacts & investigators
ContactYinyin Zang, Ph.D. · contact · yinyin.zang@pku.edu.cn · 00861062756953
All locations (4)
Changchun middle schoolCompleted
Fuyang, Anhui, China
Peking UniversityRecruiting
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
Ulanhot No. 1 High SchoolCompleted
Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia, China
Urumqi No. 74 Middle SchoolCompleted
Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China
The Effectiveness of Guided Written Exposure Therapy for Complex PTSD in Adolescents · TrialPath