title: Does physiologic response to loud tones change following cognitive-behavioral treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder?
abstract: This study examined responses to loud tones before and after cognitive-behavioral treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seventy-four women in a PTSD treatment outcome study for rape-related (n = 54) or physical assault-related PTSD (n = 20) were assessed in an auditory loud tone paradigm. Assessments were conducted before and after a 6-week period of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Physiologic responses to loud tones included heart rate (HR), skin conductance (SC), and eye-blink electromyogram (EMG). Groups were formed based upon treatment outcome and included a treatment responder group (no PTSD at posttreatment) and a nonresponder group (PTSD-positive at posttreatment). Treatment was successful for 53 of 74 women (72%) and unsuccessful for 21 women (28%). Responders and nonresponders were not significantly different from each other at pretreatment on the main outcome variables. Treatment responders showed a significant reduction in loud tone-related EMG, HR, and SC responses from pre- to posttreatment (partial η(2)  = .24, .31, and .36, respectively; all p < .001) and the EMG and HR responses were significantly smaller than nonresponders at posttreatment (partial η(2)  = .11, p = .004 and .19, p < .001, respectively). Successful cognitive-behavioral treatment of PTSD is associated with a quantifiable reduction in physiological responding to loud tones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Center for Trauma Recovery, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63121, USA. michael_griffin@umsl.edu
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Resick
authors.forename: Tara E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Galovski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012001:Hyperacusis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult