TerminatedNot Applicable

Simple Cognitive Task After Trauma EKUT RCT

Stopped: Halted prematurely - Covid-19 pandemic prevented recruitment/testing in ED

Sweden16 participantsStarted 2019-12-10

Plain-language summary

This research study is designed to investigate the effects of a simple cognitive task (a memory cue following by playing the computer game "Tetris") on intrusive memories ("flashbacks") and other symptoms after a traumatic event. Patients presenting to a hospital emergency department soon after a traumatic event will be randomly allocated to either the simple cognitive task intervention or control. Participants will be followed up at one week and one month, and where possible 3 and 6 months. It is predicted that participants given the simple cognitive task intervention will develop fewer intrusive memories and less severe related clinical symptoms than those who are not. This will inform the future development of a simple technique to prevent distressing psychological symptoms after a traumatic event. Implementation and training aspects in a hospital context will also be explored. Patients use their smartphone for part of the intervention in the study.

Who can participate

Age range18 Years

SexALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 or over * Experienced or witnessed a traumatic event resulting in admission to the emergency department * Met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM5) criterion A for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in that ("The person was exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence" by "Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s)" or "Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others") * Can be seen in the emergency department ca. 6 hours after the traumatic event (day 1) * Report memory of the accident * Fluent in spoken and written Swedish * Alert and orientated * Have sufficient physical mobility to use their smartphone * Willing and able to provide informed consent and complete study procedures * Willing and able to be contacted following discharge to complete follow-up assessments * Have access to an internet enabled smartphone Exclusion Criteria: * Loss of consciousness of \> 5 minutes * Current intoxication * Report a history of severe mental illness * Current substance abuse or neurological condition * Currently suicidal * Other medical reasons (on advice by medical staff)

What they're measuring

Number of intrusive memories of traumatic event

Timeframe: Week 5

Trial details

NCT IDNCT04185155

SponsorKarolinska Institutet

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2020-04-30