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Expressive Writing for Sexual Minority Veterans with Depressive or Anxiety Symptoms

This study is looking at a new way to help sexual minority Veterans (people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, or another identity other than heterosexual) who are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety. It's testing an intervention called Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors (EWMS), where you would have three sessions with a therapist to write about stressful experiences related to your sexual minority identity. Another group will do Neutral Writing, where they write about daily activities. The study wants to see if EWMS is practical, if participants like it, and if it helps reduce depression and anxiety. You might be able to join if you are a Veteran, identify as a sexual minority, and have significant depressive or anxiety symptoms.

Study design
This study plans to enroll 85 participants and compares two behavioral interventions: Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors and Neutral Writing.
What's involved
Participants will attend three individual sessions, either in-person or remotely, and engage in writing exercises during each session.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Patient satisfaction will be measured 3-4 weeks after beginning treatment. Feasibility will be assessed at the end of the 4th year of the study.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05897021

Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors Among Sexual Minority Veterans

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment
VA Office of Research and Development
~85 participants
Updated 2026-02-02 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Expressive Writing on Minority StressorsNeutral Writing

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Feasibility of the Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors (EWMS) intervention
Measured over This will be assessed through study completion at the end of Phase II of the Study (i.e., end of the 4th year)
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Depressive Symptoms
Anxiety

Explore related trials

AnxietySymptoms of depression

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Massachusetts1

Study leadership

  • Kelly L Harper, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus, Jamaica Plain, MA

Who to contact

Kelly L Harper, PhD
[email protected]
(857) 364-4417
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

identify as a sexual minority (i.e., identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, or another identity other than heterosexual)
endorse clinically significant depressive or anxiety symptoms (score above 10 on the PHQ-9 or GAD-7)
report a history of sexuality-based minority stressor exposure that is contributing to distress on phone screening
be stable on psychotropic medication for at least 4 weeks if on a psychotropic medication

Exclusion

clear and current suicidal plan and/or intent (assessed via the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale)
current presentation of unstable mania and/or psychosis (assessed via the Structured Interview for DSM-5)
current substance use disorder, severe (assessed via the Structured Interview for DSM-5)
significant cognitive impairment, including evidence of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury, determined by an inability to comprehend baseline screening questionnaires

What this trial measures

  • Feasibility of the Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors (EWMS) interventionThis will be assessed through study completion at the end of Phase II of the Study (i.e., end of the 4th year)

    Level of feasibility will be assessed by comparable percentage of treatment completion as found in a previous efficacy trial of Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors in a non-Veteran sample (Pachankis et al., 2021). The percentage of treatment completion will be comparable to percentage of treatment completion reported in a previous efficacy trial of EWMS with young adults (89%) (Pachankis et al., 2021).

  • Patient satisfaction with the Expressive Writing on Minority Stressors (EWMS) interventionVeterans will complete the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire at the post-treatment (3-4 weeks after beginning treatment) assessment

    Veterans who are assigned to the EWMS condition will report comparable levels of treatment satisfaction on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8; Larsen et al., 1979) as other efficacy trials using expressive writing paradigms (Sloan et al., 2012).