Prolonged exposure versus dynamic therapy for adolescent PTSD: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the efficacy and maintenance of developmentally adapted prolonged exposure therapy for adolescents (PE-A) compared with active control time-limited dynamic therapy (TLDP-A) for decreasing posttraumatic and depressive symptoms in adolescent victims of single-event traumas.


METHODS
Thirty-eight adolescents (12 to 18 years old) were randomly assigned to receive PE-A or TLDP-A.


RESULTS
Both treatments resulted in decreased posttraumatic stress disorder and depression and increased functioning. PE-A exhibited a greater decrease of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptom severity and a greater increase in global functioning than did TDLP-A. After treatment, 68.4% of adolescents beginning treatment with PE-A and 36.8% of those beginning treatment with TLDP-A no longer met diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Treatment gains were maintained at 6- and 17-month follow-ups.


CONCLUSIONS
Brief individual therapy is effective in decreasing posttraumatic distress and behavioral trauma-focused components enhance efficacy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY INFORMATION: Prolonged Exposure Therapy Versus Active Psychotherapy in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adolescents, URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov, unique identifier: NCT00183690.
Gilboa-Schechtman
Eva
E
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel. evagilboa@gmail.com
Foa
Edna B
EB
Shafran
Naama
N
Aderka
Idan M
IM
Powers
Mark B
MB
Rachamim
Lilach
L
Rosenbach
Lea
L
Yadin
Elna
E
Apter
Alan
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001143:Arousal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*