The Impact of Expressive Emotional Writing on Facilitating Grief Resolution in Adults With Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal Cord Injuries Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Impact of Expressive Emotional Writing on Facilitating Grief Resolution in Adults With Spinal Cord Injury

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06147258
• Other study ID #: 1925594-38
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 3, 2024
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2025

Study information

• Verified date: May 2024
• Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Contact: Hon Yuen, PhD
• Phone: 205-934-6301
• Email: yuen[@]uab.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of a 10-week online coach-guided EEWP on psychosocial health among adults with SCI.

Description:

Paralysis in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to grief from the loss of physical capacity, social or occupational role function, and life goals. Expressive emotional writing (EEW) provides an outlet for these individuals to explore and express feelings and emotions that arise from their losses related to limb paralysis. Using a randomized controlled trial design, the proposed project will attempt to confirm the benefits of an online coach-guided EEW program for improving psychosocial health among adults with SCI. Benefits of participating in the program will be evaluated using validated assessments to measure reduction of grief intensity and improvement in other psychosocial dimensions and social participation.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2025
• Est. primary completion date: December 31, 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria: (1) diagnosis (with evidence) of SCI (traumatic or non-traumatic) with limb weakness; (2) aged > 18 years; (3) access to the internet and a computer or to a smartphone that can perform videoconferencing, (4) sufficient English language and cognitive proficiency to complete self-report study questionnaires and understand program content in English, and able to communicate verbally or through writing.

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Exclusion Criteria: (1) severe cognitive impairments that prevent online learning and completion of the evaluation; (2) suicidal intent requiring emergency care; (3) consistent psychotherapy within the last 6 months; (4) current or planned participation in psychological therapy or a clinical trial during the study period that could affect the outcomes of the study; or (5) congenital SCI (e.g., spinal bifida)

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Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Myelitis
• Myelitis, Transverse
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Transverse Myelitis
• Wounds and Injuries

Intervention

Behavioral:
• expressive writing
A typical session will begin with the teaching artist (i.e., writing coach) introducing a new writing theme. Participants will have at least 20 minutes to write, and each session will include post-writing reflections and sharing, an undirected supportive interaction among participants.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Alabama at Birmingham	Birmingham	Alabama

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Grief and Loss Scale	a 9-item measure of an individual's emotional reactions or grief such as anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and despair in the past 7 days, using a 5-point scale: 1=never to 5=always. The scores range from 9 to 45. Higher scores reflect higher degree of grief and loss.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Impact of Events Scale	a 6-item measure of an individual's distress related to different difficulties in the past 7 days, using a 5-point scale: 0=not at all to 4=extremely. The scores range from 0 to 24. Higher scores reflect greater distress.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Emotional Distress - Depression	It is a part of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). It is an 8-item measure of an individual's emotional distress (depression) in the past 7 days, using a 5-point scale: 1=never to 5=always. The scores range from 8 to 40. Higher scores reflect higher degree of emotional distress (depression)	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)	is a 10-item measure of frequency of an individual experiencing stress in the past month, using a 5-point scale: 1=never to 5=very often. Four positively stated items require reversed coding. The scores range from 10 to 50. Higher scores reflect higher frequency of experiencing stress.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Sleep Disturbance	It is a part of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). It is a 4-item measure of an individual's sleep problem or quality in the past 7 days, using a 5-point scale: 1=not at all to 5=very much or 1=very good to 5=very poor. Two positively stated item require reversed coding. The scores range from 4 to 20. Higher scores reflect greater sleep problem.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Sleep Impact	It is a part of the Adult Sickle Cell Quality of Life Measurement Information System (ASCQ). It is a 5-item measure of an individual's trouble falling asleep in the past 7 days, using a 5-point scale: 5=never to 5=always. One positively stated item require reversed coding. The scores range from 5 to 25. Higher scores reflect less trouble falling asleep.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Meaning and Purpose	It is part of the NIH Toolbox Item Bank. It is a 7-item measure of an individual's meaning and purpose in life, using a 5-point scale:1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree. The scores range from 7 to 35. Higher scores reflect greater meaning and purpose in life.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Conditions - Managing Emotions	It is a part of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). It is a 4-item measure of an individual's self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions, using a 5-point scale: 1=I am not at all confident to 5=I am very confident. The scores range from 4 to 20. Higher scores reflect greater confident in managing chronic conditions.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities	It is a 4-item measure of an individual's trouble participating in social roles and activities, using a 5-point scale:1=always to 5=never. The scores range from 4 to 20. Higher scores reflect less trouble participating in social roles and activities.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities	It is a 4-item measure of an individual's satisfaction with social roles and activities, using a 5-point scale:1=not at all to 5=very much. The scores range from 4 to 20. Higher scores reflect greater satisfaction with social roles and activities.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale	It consists of 10 statements that respondents rated on a 5-point scale from 0 - Not true at all.; 1 - Rarely true.2 - Sometimes true.3 - Often true.4 - True nearly all the time. Answers were scored from 0 to 4 to create a total score that ranged from 0 to 100, with higher numbers denoting greater resilience.	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up
Primary	Cortisol level	Hair cortisol level	baseline, 11 weeks, 3-month follow-up