NCT07165782 Brief Videos Delivered by Text Messages as a Public Health Intervention for PTSD in Youth
| NCT ID | NCT07165782 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | IWK Health Centre |
| Condition | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adolescence |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 98 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-09-10 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-09-10 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 98 participants in total. It began in 2025-09-10 with a primary completion date of 2026-09-10.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if informational videos (the intervention) sent by text messages can help young people (age 15 - 25) manage symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is a small-scale trial to evaluate whether the intervention has potential to be effective, whether it is feasible to carry out a bigger study, and whether youth find the intervention acceptable.The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does the intervention help youth reduce their symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, improve how well they function day-to-day, and lead to post-traumatic growth. 2. Will it be possible to conduct a larger study on the intervention (e.g., are we able to attract participants to take part in the study; do participants follow through with the intervention and the study) and is the intervention acceptable to youth (e.g., do they watch the videos, and rate the videos as useful, interesting, understandable, and relevant)? Researchers will compare those who receive the intervention right away to those who wait to receive the intervention to see if there are differences between groups. Videos will teach youth about PTSD and provide the opportunity to practice strategies that have been shown to help with reduce symptoms of PTSD, such as exposure, reducing avoidance, social support, and coping strategies (e.g., changing your thoughts, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation). The study is fully online. Participants will be randomly placed in one of two groups: 1. Intervention Group: Gets three PTSD-related text messages per week for 10 weeks. They will also be asked to rate each of the videos on how helpful you found them. 2. Waitlist Group: Does not receive text messages until AFTER the final surveys for the study are completed (i.e., 5 months), then will receive the intervention. Everyone will be asked to complete online surveys about their mental health and functioning 3 times during the study: * Beginning of the study * 10 weeks into the study * 3 months after the videos end (end of study)
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Likely diagnosis of PTSD as indicated by a minimum score of 31 on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist * Direct exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence or through witnessing, learning it happened to a close relation as assessed by the Life Events Checklist * Between 15 and 25 years old at time of enrolment * Access to a mobile phone and a data plan that allows them to receive text messages and videos * Live in Canada Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of active suicidality, determined by items from the Patient Safety Screener * Active symptoms of psychosis, indicated by a brief Psychosis Screener Questionnaire * An inability to read and/or understand English
Contact & Investigator
Patrick J McGrath, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
IWK Health
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT07165782 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 15 Years or older, up to 25 Years, studying Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adolescence. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT07165782 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT07165782 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at patrick.mcgrath@iwk.nshealth.ca for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT07165782 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Halifax, Canada.
Who is sponsoring the NCT07165782 clinical trial?
NCT07165782 is sponsored by IWK Health Centre. The principal investigator is Patrick J McGrath, PhD at IWK Health. The trial plans to enroll 98 participants.