NCT03654625

Development of a Scientifically Informed Written Exposure Procedure (The SCRIPTS Study)

Development of a Scientifically-Informed Written Exposure Procedure (The SCRIPTS Study)

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 108 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Toronto Metropolitan University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry and anxiety. When people with GAD worry, they tend to think about problems and feared situations in a vague way. Preliminary research suggests that writing about feared situations in a structured and detailed fashion may help with worry. In this experiment, the investigators are looking to improve the writing intervention. The investigators are testing the immediate and short-term effects of a new writing intervention.

Detailed description

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry and anxiety about bad things that may happen in the future. When people with GAD worry, they tend to think about the situations they fear in a vague way. Preliminary research suggests that writing repeatedly about one's fears in a structured and detailed way may help worry. In the present experiment, the investigators are comparing three structured writing interventions and testing their immediate and short-term effects on worry, and worry-related features. Potential participants will be asked to complete a telephone screen. Those who meet eligibility criteria will be invited to the laboratory at Ryerson University. After completing pre-intervention outcome measures, participants will be randomly assigned to one of three writing interventions: (1) standard written exposure, (2) enhanced written exposure, or (3) neutral writing. All participants will write for 30 minutes on each of 4 days. The 4 sessions of writing will be spaced and will take place within a period of 2 weeks. Excessive worry will be assessed at pre-intervention, mid-intervention, post-intervention, 1-week follow-up and 1 month follow-up. With the exception of the Modified Behavioural Avoidance Test, which will only be assessed at pre-intervention and 1 month follow-up, all other outcomes will be assessed at pre-intervention, and at post-intervention, 1-week follow-up and 1 month follow-up. Additional assessments of Perceived Probability, Cost and Coping Questions will occur at each writing session. During the 2-week intervention period and the three days following the intervention period, all participants will also track their worry and mood twice per day. The present experiment will provide answers to important questions about the therapeutic potential of writing interventions for excessive worry.

Conditions

• Excessive Worry

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Standard Written Exposure	Four spaced, 30-minute sessions occurring within a period of 2 weeks. Participants write a narrative about their worst worry.
BEHAVIORAL	Enhanced Written Exposure	Four spaced, 30-minute sessions occurring within a period of 2 weeks. Participants write a narrative about their worst worry and rescript it.
BEHAVIORAL	Control Condition	Four spaced, 30-minute sessions occurring within a period of 2 weeks. At each session, participants write a narrative about a neutral topic.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-09-07
• Primary completion: 2020-09-30
• Completion: 2020-12-31
• First posted: 2018-08-31
• Last updated: 2020-03-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada