Applying Mixed Methods to Identify Links Between PTSD Symptoms, Cannabis Use, and Functional Behaviors With Personalized Feedback Intervention Development

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Marijuana Abuse

In brief

Many Veterans live with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and use cannabis to manage distress, despite limited supportive evidence. Veterans with PTSD who use cannabis often struggle with sleep, physical activity, and social connection, which are factors critical to health and well-being. This project will use smartphones and wearable devices to track symptoms and daily behaviors in real time and provide personalized feedback to help Veterans understand and manage the impact of PTSD and cannabis use in their lives. The study will develop a motivational interviewing-based personalized feedback approach that uses real-time data to help Veterans make data-informed decisions about their mental health, cannabis use, and functional behaviors. Findings will support development of scalable, Veteran-centered tools to promote healthier coping, functional recovery, and quality of life, even if they are not currently in treatment. The goal is to develop supportive, real-time strategies that meet Veterans where they are and promote better outcomes across the VA healthcare system.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07721285

Run by

VA Office of Research and Development

People needed

60

Starts

2027-01-01

Expected to finish

2031-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• U.S. Military Veterans
• DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis verified by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5)
• Cannabis use at least once per week over the past 3 months
• If on psychotropic medication or in psychotherapy (excluding trauma-focused PTSD therapy; see exclusion criteria), regimen must be stable for =1 month
• English-speaking and reading
• Willing and able to use a smartphone and wearable device for 2 weeks

You may not qualify if…

• Severe substance use disorder (excluding cannabis), as acute withdrawal or other drug effects could confound data; mild/moderate non-cannabis disorders permitted with monitoring
• Lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia or other primary psychotic disorder due to potential confounding of EMA responses
• Severe depression or high suicide risk; such Veterans will be referred for treatment and may be re-evaluated once stabilized
• Cognitive or neurodegenerative disorder impairing ability to use EMA tools (e.g., moderate/severe TBI or dementia)
• Veterans currently engaged in evidence-based trauma-focused therapy (e.g., CPT, PE, EMDR), will be excluded to isolate naturalistic symptom variability, as therapy can substantially impact PTSD symptoms; these individuals will be invited to re-contact the study post-treatment for consideration
• Lack of smartphone ownership

Where it is running

• VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA — San Diego, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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