Comparing Two Moral Injury Treatments (NCT07710521) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Comparing Two Moral Injury Treatments
United States180 participantsStarted 2026-08
Plain-language summary
Purpose of this study: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two psychological treatments for moral injury: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury and Present Centered Therapy for Moral Injury. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Determine the efficacy of ACT-MI for building functional recovery among 180 warzone deployed Veterans.
2. Identify barriers and facilitators to implementing ACT-MI in VA mental health clinics or a national telehealth hub in preparation for future dissemination efforts.
Participants will be asked to:
* Complete a two to two and a half hour initial assessment session online using videoconferencing. Participants will be asked to complete surveys and questionnaires.
* Be randomized to either ACT-MI or PCT-MI
* Meet with the study clinicians for 15 virtual outpatient sessions (12-group and 3-individual sessions).
* Complete a post-treatment assessment session offered online using videoconferencing within one week of treatment completion to complete surveys and questionnaires.
* Complete one- and three-month follow-up assessments offered online using videoconferencing to complete surveys and questionnaires.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 89 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Eligible for VHA care
. Age 18-89
. Has been deployed to a warzone
. Has experienced moral injury from a morally injurious event in war that is impacting psychosocial functioning
. Willing to be randomized to either of the two conditions (ACT-MI or PCT-MI)
Exclusion criteria
. Inability to provide informed consent (operationalized as inability to answer 7 questions about the study and research participants' rights)
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Change from Baseline to post-treatment on Outcome Questionnaire - 45.2
Timeframe: Baseline, within 1 week post-treatment completion
. Inability to complete study measures (e.g., due to significant acute intoxication/withdrawal symptoms, mania, psychosis, aggression, catatonia, cognitive impairment)
. Imminent suicide risk
. Participation in another interventional mental health research study
. Membership in a vulnerable population (e.g., cognitively impaired)
. Current participation in an EBP for a condition related to moral injury
. Past participation in ACT (based on medical record review and Veteran self-report)