Can a 2-Week PTSD therapy cut substance use? new trial aims to find out
NCT ID NCT06968832
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a condensed form of PTSD therapy, called Massed Prolonged Exposure (M-PE), can help people who are also being treated for substance use disorders. About 168 adults will either receive M-PE alongside their usual substance use program or continue with standard care. Researchers will track PTSD symptoms, substance use, and quality of life over six months to see if the fast-track therapy leads to better outcomes.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Massed Prolonged Exposure Therapy (M-PE)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide an effective way to treat PTSD alongside substance use treatment, improving mental health and reducing substance use.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small trial (168 participants) and compares M-PE to usual care, so results may not apply to all settings. The therapy is intensive and may not be suitable for everyone.
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 168 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2029
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: * Age 18+ * Enrolled in SUD treatment at Gateway Community Services * Meet DSM-5 criteria for a SUD (Tobacco Use Disorder alone not sufficient for inclusion) * Meet DSM-5 criteria for PTSD * Able to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * severe cognitive impairment * current suicidal or homicidal intent requiring immediate treatment * current unstable psychotic or manic symptoms not attributable to SUD
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Gateway Community Services
RECRUITINGJacksonville, Florida, 32204, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can MDMA-Assisted therapy heal trauma in young adults?
- Can breathing exercises help veterans heal from trauma and addiction?