Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for PTSD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Manitoba

Must not be taking: Psychological medications

Disqualifiers: PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Suicidal ideation, others

Stay on Your Current Meds You can continue your current medications while participating

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

Duration: 5 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a 5-session class teaching cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills can prevent PTSD in public safety personnel (PSP), such as firefighters or police officers. The researchers will also explore how these classes might boost brain resilience, aiding in resistance to stress-related issues. Participants will either begin the CBT class immediately or be waitlisted to start in three months. Suitable candidates are PSP who have not received mental health treatment in the past six months and do not currently exhibit severe PTSD, depression, or anxiety symptoms. As an unphased trial, this study offers PSP the chance to contribute to innovative research that could enhance mental health strategies for their community.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you've had psychological or medication treatment for a mental disorder in the past 6 months.

What prior data suggests that this cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness class is safe for public safety personnel?

Research shows that combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with mindfulness is generally easy for people to handle. Studies have found that this treatment often leads to significant improvements in PTSD symptoms. For instance, one study found that patients experienced less severe PTSD after treatment. Another study highlighted that mindfulness-based approaches for PTSD keep patients engaged and satisfied.

This therapy presents no major safety concerns. Mindfulness-based treatments are usually safe and have good retention rates, meaning people tend to stick with them. This suggests that the therapy is not only effective but also manageable for most people. For those considering joining a trial, evidence indicates this therapy is both safe and potentially very helpful for PTSD. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm) is unique because it combines traditional cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness practices, aiming to enhance the treatment's impact on PTSD. Unlike standard treatments like medication or traditional CBT alone, CBTm incorporates mindfulness to help patients stay present and manage their reactions more effectively. Researchers are excited about this approach because it could offer a more holistic and rapid improvement in symptoms, potentially reducing the emotional distress and improving the overall well-being of those with PTSD more efficiently than existing options.

What evidence suggests that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Mindfulness Class is effective for preventing PTSD in public safety personnel?

Research has shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) combined with mindfulness can help reduce PTSD symptoms. In this trial, participants in the active treatment arm will attend a 5-week CBT with mindfulness class. Studies have found that mindfulness-based therapies improve how the brain handles stress. In one study, participants experienced significant reductions in PTSD severity, depression, and anxiety after receiving CBT with mindfulness. Additionally, individuals with higher initial levels of mindfulness tend to have better outcomes, suggesting that mindfulness can effectively manage stress. Overall, this therapy appears promising for preventing or managing PTSD symptoms. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for public safety personnel who are part of an ongoing study on using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm) to build workplace resilience. It's designed to help prevent PTSD and manage stress.

Inclusion Criteria

Must be enrolled in our on-going parallel study - "Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness Course for Building Workplace Resilience: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive 5-week CBTm classes to increase resilience to PTSD

5 weeks

5 sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for resilience and PTSD symptoms using fMRI and scales

1 month

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Mindfulness Class

Trial Overview The trial tests if a 5-session CBTm class can increase brain connectivity associated with resilience against PTSD in public safety workers, by comparing fMRI scans before and after the course.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Active Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

5-week CBTm

Group II: Waitlisted Active Control 1 Intervention

Waitlisted (will receive 5-week CBTm 3 months after).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Manitoba

Lead Sponsor

Trials

628

Recruited

209,000+

University of Regina

Collaborator

Trials

59

Recruited

9,100+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7024008/

Mindfulness as a Predictor of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy ... Higher levels of baseline mindfulness predicted lower end-of-treatment PTSD severity but not longest sustained abstinence from the primary substance of choice.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5747539/

Mindfulness-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder Taken together, these results suggest that mindfulness-based therapies may be effective in restoring top–down modulation of limbic regions with associated ...

3. mental.jmir.org mental.jmir.org/2022/2/e26479

A Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness ... Results: Pre-post intention-to-treat analyses revealed substantial improvements in PTSD severity (d=1.60), depression (d=0.83), anxiety (d=0.99) ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460319311360

Mindfulness as a predictor of cognitive-behavioral therapy ... Mindfulness predicts PTSD outcomes in treatment-seeking adults with PTSD/SUD. Higher baseline mindfulness predicted lower end-of-treatment PTSD symptoms.

5. psycnet.apa.org psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-17551-001

Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapies with a trauma focus ... This individual participant data meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy with a trauma focus (CBT-TF) for ...

6. link.springer.com link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40501-025-00364-x

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychological Trauma ... Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) as treatments for PTSD have high levels of engagement, retention, and patient satisfaction. Here we ...