New therapy helps veterans with PTSD by targeting 'Safety Behaviors'
NCT ID NCT04515784
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested a 10-week group therapy program called START-PTSD for 45 veterans with PTSD who had declined standard trauma-focused treatment. The therapy helps veterans identify and gradually reduce 'safety aids'—behaviors like avoiding certain places or using mental distractions that keep fear alive. Researchers measured changes in PTSD symptoms, safety aid use, and treatment satisfaction immediately after the program and one month later.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Safety Aid Reduction Treatment (START-PTSD) - a behavioral therapy that helps veterans identify and reduce safety behaviors (like avoidance) that maintain PTSD symptoms.
- What this could lead to
- If this treatment works, it could offer a new option for veterans with PTSD who are unwilling or unable to undergo traditional trauma-focused therapy, potentially reducing their symptoms and improving daily functioning.
- What could go wrong
- This was a small, early-phase study with only 45 participants, so results may not apply to all veterans. The treatment is behavioral and may not work for everyone, and there is a risk that symptoms could worsen temporarily when safety aids are removed.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119, United States
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