NCT07397507

Mechanisms of Written Exposure Therapy in Residential SUD Treatment

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 108 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Mclean Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief treatment for PTSD, works among individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) engaged in residential SUD treatment and how biology may influence treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does WET improve PTSD and substance use outcomes among individuals with SUD+PTSD? * Does WET improve physiological responses and craving to trauma cues? * Do sex hormones influence changes physiological responses and craving during treatment among women? Participants will: * Complete WET or a neutral writing in addition to their residential SUD treatment * Complete two laboratory sessions before and after treatment * Complete follow-up surveys and interviews at 1- and 3-months post-treatment

Conditions

• PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Written Exposure Therapy	Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a five-session manualized treatment for PTSD. At the first session, psychoeducation about common reactions to trauma and PTSD are presented followed by a 30-minute written exposure. Following the exposure, a 10-minute check-in is completed, and individuals are instructed not to avoid any thoughts/feelings/ images related to the trauma between sessions. All subsequent sessions follow this structure: check-in on avoidance and feedback on writing, written exposure, and brief check-in post-writing about the writing process.
BEHAVIORAL	Neutral Writing	Participants will complete five writing prompts that are not intended to provoke emotional responses. Examples of these prompts include writing about the food they ate the day prior or what they did yesterday. Participants will be instructed to not discuss their thoughts and feelings regarding these topics. Neutral writing will provide control for time and clinician contact.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-06-01
• Primary completion: 2029-12-01
• Completion: 2030-03-01
• First posted: 2026-02-09
• Last updated: 2026-02-09