Effectiveness of anxiety management training in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: a preliminary report.
This preliminary study investigated the effectiveness of anxiety management training (AMT), a coping skills treatment similar to systematic desensitization, in comparison to implosive therapy (IT), an exposure-based treatment, for treating six Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Clinician Administered PTSD Interview Scale (CAPS; Blake et al. (1988), The Behaviour Therapist, 18, 187-188) and a self-monitoring measure (Weathers et al., 1991) were used as dependent measures. A single-subject, multiple-baseline, crossover design (ABC/ACB) was employed. A new statistic for such designs (Mueser et al. (1991), Behaviour Modification, 15, 134-155), based on classical test theory, was used to assess treatment effects on intrusive war memories and avoidance of stimuli reminiscent of war. Within-subject results indicated that AMT and IT were similarly effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of intrusions and avoidance. This preliminary report therefore suggests that it may be productive to investigate multidimensional approaches (combining coping skills, exposure-based, and other approaches) to the treatment of combat-related PTSD as Foa et al. (1991), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 715-723 and Nishith et al. (1995), Behaviour Therapy, 26, 319-335 have for rape-related PTSD.
Pantalon
M V
MV
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
Motta
R W
RW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology