title: Therapist fidelity with an exposure-based treatment of PTSD in adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
abstract: This study examined therapists' fidelity to a manualized, multicomponent cognitive-behavioral intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including exposure therapy, among public sector patients with a psychotic disorder. Independent raters assessed therapists' competence and adherence, rating 20% of randomly selected audio taped sessions (n=57 sessions, coded by two raters, with strong interrater agreement). Adherence ratings indicated that therapists complied well with the protocol, and competency ratings typically averaged "very good" or higher (6 on 7-point Likert scale). Findings suggest that therapists can effectively deliver a manualized cognitive-behavioral intervention for PTSD, with exposure therapy, to patients with severe mental illness without compromise to the structure of sessions and/or the therapeutic relationship.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, USA. melong6@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Anouk L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Grubaugh
authors.forename: Jon D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Elhai
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cusack
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.forename: B Christopher
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Frueh
mesh_terms: D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015144:Southeastern United States; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D013637:Tape Recording