A comparison of exposure therapy, stress inoculation training, and their combination for reducing posttraumatic stress disorder in female assault victims.
Ninety-six female assault victims with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to 4 treatment conditions: prolonged exposure (PE), stress inoculation training (SIT), combined treatment (PE-SIT), or wait-list control (WL). Treatment consisted of 9 twice-weekly, individual sessions. Independent evaluations were conducted at pretreatment; posttreatment; and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. All 3 active treatments reduced severity of PTSD and depression compared with WL but did not differ significantly from each other, and these gains were maintained throughout the follow-up period. However, in the intent-to-treat sample, PE was superior to SIT and PE-SIT on posttreatment anxiety and global social adjustment at follow-up and had larger effect sizes on PTSD severity, depression, and anxiety. SIT and PE-SIT did not differ significantly from each other on any outcome measure.
Foa
E B
EB
Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University, Philadelphia 19129, USA. foa@auhs.edu
Dancu
C V
CV
Hembree
E A
EA
Jaycox
L H
LH
Meadows
E A
EA
Street
G P
GP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence