Is Exposure Necessary? A Randomized Clinical Trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for PTSD.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Exposure to trauma reminders has been considered imperative in psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors tested interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), which has demonstrated antidepressant efficacy and shown promise in pilot PTSD research as a non-exposure-based non-cognitive-behavioral PTSD treatment.

Method

The authors conducted a randomized 14-week trial comparing IPT, prolonged exposure (an exposure-based exemplar), and relaxation therapy (an active control psychotherapy) in 110 unmedicated patients who had chronic PTSD and a score >50 on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Randomization stratified for comorbid major depression. The authors hypothesized that IPT would be no more than minimally inferior (a difference <12.5 points

SUBMITTER: Markowitz JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4464805 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature