Can a headband soothe trauma in new mothers?
NCT ID NCT05474534
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 20, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This pilot study tests whether a mobile neurofeedback device (MUSE 2) can help new mothers who have experienced trauma feel better and reduce stress. Forty mothers with PTSD symptoms will use the headband at home for 12 weeks, receiving audio feedback to train their brains to stay calm. Researchers will measure changes in trauma symptoms, parenting stress, and infant behavior to see if the approach is feasible and effective.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Neurofeedback device (MUSE 2)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, at-home tool to help new mothers with trauma feel calmer and more in control, potentially improving their mental health and parenting.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 40 participants, so results may not apply widely. The device may not produce meaningful changes, and benefits could be due to placebo or attention.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2023
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * The inclusion criteria for mothers will be 1) a score of 2+ on the Adverse Childhood Experiences measure for childhood trauma exposure; 2) a score of 3+ on the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) screening measure for PTSD symptoms OR endorsement of 2 or more past-month symptoms of moderate or greater severity on the depersonalization/derealization subscale of the Dissociative Subtype of PTSD Scale (DSPS); 3) having a child who is between the ages of 3-9 months old; 3) having a personal phone or tablet device that is compatible with the MUSE 2 neurofeedback device. Exclusion Criteria: * Mothers and their infants will be excluded if mothers 1) have a lifetime history of significant untreated mental illness, neurological or pervasive developmental disorders; 2) have a documented history of epilepsy; 3) ever experienced previous head injury with loss of consciousness; 4) are currently experiencing intimate partner violence or otherwise state that their current living conditions are unsafe; 5) are currently experiencing psychosis or have been suicidal within the last six months; 6) are currently taking, or in the past month have taken benzodiazepines, narcotic drugs, or cannabis; 7) have engaged in self-harming behaviors in the last 3 months requiring medical attention; 8) are pregnant; 9) are current students at Wayne State University or have plans to enroll as a student at Wayne State University anytime in the next 12 months; 10) do not have competence to understand or consent/assent to the study procedures; or 11) do not have fluency in written and spoken English.
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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
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Wayne State University School of Social Work
Detroit, Michigan, 48202, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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