A Digital Cognitive Intervention for Intrusive Memories After Trauma

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Intrusive Memories of Traumatic Event(s)

In brief

Intrusive traumatic memories frequently trigger severe distress and psychological disorders like PTSD. Traditional therapies require explicit trauma recall, which often causes severe patient distress and leads to treatment avoidance. To address this, our study introduces a novel, less aversive intervention combining unconscious visual processing with bilateral eye movement to mitigate these intrusive memories. Utilizing a randomized, three-arm design (comparing standardized trauma-related images, patient-provided images, and neutral images, all paired with bilateral eye movements), we plan to recruit participants who have experienced severe trauma and report ≥ 5 intrusive memories weekly, targeting a final sample of 40 patients per arm. The primary outcome is the frequency of intrusive memories. Secondary and additional outcomes include PTSD severity (CAPS-5, PCL-5, IES), depression, anxiety, borderline symptoms, functional improvements, subjective intervention distress, and dropout rates.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07523360

Run by

Zhu Zijian

People needed

123

Starts

2026-04-10

Expected to finish

2028-05-10

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-13

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 50. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Meet DSM-5 Criterion A for PTSD, which stipulates exposure to an event involving serious injury or a threat to one's own or another's physical well-being, either through direct experience or witnessing.
• Participants needed to exhibit symptoms from at least three of the five core PTSD symptom domains outlined in DSM-5: intrusive memories (Criterion B), persistent avoidance of trauma-related stimuli (Criterion C), negative alterations in cognitions and mood (Criterion D), alterations in arousal and reactivity (Criterion E), and symptoms lasting for at least one month (Criterion F).
• The total score of CAPS-5 ≥ 33.
• Have internet access and have access to a personal computer.
• Have not taken part in a previous study of this intervention from this research team.

You may not qualify if…

• Fewer than 5 intrusive memories during the baseline week (Week 0).
• IQ score lower than 80.
• A current diagnosis of schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a severe personality disorder judged to interfere with treatment adherence, or acute suicidal behavior.
• Have severe substance dependence.

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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