MemoryNCT01007682
Intrusive Reexperiencing: The Role of Working Memory Capacity and Thought Suppression
A study testing Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movie in people with Memory, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study aims at identifying risk factors for the development of intrusive reexperiencing symptoms. In particular, the investigators examine the influence of working memory capacity and thought suppression on the occurrence of unpleasant memories of a negative experience. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Memory
- What is being tested?
- Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movie
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Sep 2009to Oct 2011
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Older than 17 years
Who cannot join
- Insufficient knowledge of the German language, for the distressing movie arm of the study: Elevated levels of depression or posttraumatic stress symptoms prior to viewing of the distressing movie
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Harvard University, Department of Psychology
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138-2044
About this study
This study aims at identifying risk factors for the development of intrusive reexperiencing symptoms. In particular, the investigators examine the influence of working memory capacity and thought suppression on the occurrence of unpleasant memories of a negative experience.
Hypothesis: People with high working memory capacities (HWMC) are able to successfully suppress memories of an unpleasant experience (presentation of a distressing movie). In contrast, in people with low working memory capacities (LWMC), attempts to suppress memories of an unpleasant experience inadvertently lead to an increase of these memories.
Read more
Study phase one: Assessment of working memory capacity in 200 healthy participants by means of a computerized task. Selection of 50 participants with HWMC and of 50 participants with LWMC who participate in study phase two.
Study phase two: Presentation of a distressing movie and subsequent assessment of memories of the movie during several days in the daily life of participants. Comparison of 4 groups regarding the frequency of instructions in daily life:(group 1: HWMC participants who are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movie, group 2: LWMC participants who are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movie, group 3: HWMC participants who are instructed to allow the occurence of thoughts of the movie, group 4: LWMC participants who are instructed to allow the occurence of thoughts of the movie)
- Conditions
- Memory
- Being tested
- Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movie
- Keywords
- intrusive memories
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movieOther
A distressing movie is presented to two groups (one group with high and one group with low working memory capacity). For each of the two groups, half of the participants are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movies after viewing it, while the remaining participants are instructed to allow the occurrence of memories of the movie.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Screening for working memory capacity | No intervention | Not described |
| Distressing movie | Experimental | A distressing movie is presented to two groups (one group with high and one group with low working memory capacity). For each of the two groups, half of the participants are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movies after viewing it, while the remaining participants are instructed to allow the occurrence of memories of the movie. Receives: Other: Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movie |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of intrusive memories
Measured: during one week after viewing the distressing movie
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Nov 2009 (estimated)
- Study startSep 2009
- Primary completionJul 2011
- Study completionOct 2011
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for MemoryStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Monique C Pfaltz, PhD, Principal investigator, Harvard University, Department of PysychologyJürgen Margraf, Prof, Study chair, University of Basel, Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01007682
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 192/09
- Status last verified
- Mar 2012
- First submitted
- 28 Oct 2009
- Last updated
- 8 Mar 2012
- Results posted
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Mar 2012. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Intrusive Reexperiencing: The Role of Working Memory Capacity and Thought Suppression
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01007682
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 192/09
- Conditions
- Memory
- Keywords
- intrusive memories
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Sep 2009
- Primary completion
- Jul 2011 (actual)
- Study completion
- Oct 2011 (actual)
- First posted
- 4 Nov 2009 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims at identifying risk factors for the development of intrusive reexperiencing symptoms. In particular, the investigators examine the influence of working memory capacity and thought suppression on the occurrence of unpleasant memories of a negative experience.
Hypothesis: People with high working memory capacities (HWMC) are able to successfully suppress memories of an unpleasant experience (presentation of a distressing movie). In contrast, in people with low working memory capacities (LWMC), attempts to suppress memories of an unpleasant experience inadvertently lead to an increase of these memories.
Study phase one: Assessment of working memory capacity in 200 healthy participants by means of a computerized task. Selection of 50 participants with HWMC and of 50 participants with LWMC who participate in study phase two.
Study phase two: Presentation of a distressing movie and subsequent assessment of memories of the movie during several days in the daily life of participants. Comparison of 4 groups regarding the frequency of instructions in daily life:(group 1: HWMC participants who are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movie, group 2: LWMC participants who are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movie, group 3: HWMC participants who are instructed to allow the occurence of thoughts of the movie, group 4: LWMC participants who are instructed to allow the occurence of thoughts of the movie)
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Screening for working memory capacity | No intervention | – |
| Distressing movie | Experimental | Other: Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movieA distressing movie is presented to two groups (one group with high and one group with low working memory capacity). For each of the two groups, half of the participants are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movies after viewing it, while the remaining participants are instructed to allow the occurrence of memories of the movie. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Older than 17 years
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Insufficient knowledge of the German language, for the distressing movie arm of the study: Elevated levels of depression or posttraumatic stress symptoms prior to viewing of the distressing movie
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movieA distressing movie is presented to two groups (one group with high and one group with low working memory capacity). For each of the two groups, half of the participants are instructed to suppress thoughts of the movies after viewing it, while the remaining participants are instructed to allow the occurrence of memories of the movie. | Other | Distressing movie |
Primary outcome
Number of intrusive memories
Time frame: during one week after viewing the distressing movie
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Mar 2012.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Monique C Pfaltz, PhD principal investigator
Harvard University, Department of Pysychology
Jürgen Margraf, Prof study chair
University of Basel, Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Show distressing movie and tell half of the two study groups to suppress memories of the movie in people with Memory, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Mar 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of intrusive memories (time frame: during one week after viewing the distressing movie). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Mar 2012.