Overview
The goal of this clinical trial is to test a brief, new psychotherapy (called Positive Processes and Transition to Health - Single Session, or PATH-SS) that aims to provide relief for people who are suffering after experiencing a sexual assault. This research will explore whether this new psychotherapy reduces sexual assault related distress, including posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does PATH-SS leads to improvements in PTSD and depression symptoms (pre- to post- and 1-month follow-up)? Do participants perceive PATH-SS to be acceptable, helpful, and do they complete/adhere to treatment? Participants will complete a pre-treatment/baseline assessment to confirm eligibility, and those who are eligible will receive the single-session intervention and will complete a post-treatment and a 1-month follow-up assessment of stressor-related symptoms.
Description
This study will be an open trial to determine if PATH-SS reduces stressor-related symptoms of PTSD and/or depression after sexual assault in a sample of 45 college students who have experienced a sexual assault. Potential participants will first undergo a pre-screening to assess for likelihood of elegibility. Participants who may be eligible will proceed to the pre-treatment/baseline assessment; those excluded will be given referrals.
After informed consent is obtained, participants will complete the pre-treatment/baseline assessment to confirm eligibility. The assessing clinician will consult with the PI before making eligibility decisions. Eligible participants will then receive one session of the PATH-SS intervention, lasting up to 2 hours.
Symptoms will be assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 1-month follow-up, with each assessment lasting approximately 1 hour. Participants will be compensated $20 via Amazon gift card for each assessment completed following treatment. Participants will not be compensated for the intervention session.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age range: from 18 to 65.
- Has experienced unwanted sexual contact or sexual assault during their time as a college student, with a minimum of 12 weeks since the event and a maximum of 5 years since the event.
- Enrolled in any undergraduate, graduate, or professional program at a college or university in the state of Ohio.
- Elevated symptoms on either the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS-5) or the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR), at least moderate: 18 on PDS-5 (Foa et al., 2016) and/or 11 on QIDS (moderate depression severity; Rush et al., 2003), with symptoms persisting for 1 month or longer.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Current diagnosis of schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or organic mental disorder as defined by DSM-5.
- Current diagnosis of bipolar disorder, depression with psychotic features, or depression severe enough to require immediate psychiatric treatment (i.e., serious suicide risk with intent and plan).
- Severe self-injurious behavior or suicide attempt within the previous three months.
- Currently engaged in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy.
- No clear memory of the event.
- Unstable dose of psychotropic medications in prior 3 months.
- Ongoing intimate relationship with the perpetrator.
- Current diagnosis of a substance use disorder (DSM-5).
- Residence outside the state of Ohio.