Effectiveness of Group-Delivered Cognitive Therapy and Treatment Length in Women Veterans with PTSD.
The effectiveness and length of group-delivered cognitive treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was examined in a sample of women veterans. The sample included 271 primarily non-Hispanic white (61%) and Hispanic (25%) women veterans treated in 8-, 10-, or 12-group length sessions with manualized cognitive therapy for PTSD. Outcome was measured with the PTSD Symptom Checklist (PCL) in an intention-to-treat analysis (N = 271), in completer subjects (n = 172), and with group as the unit of analysis (n = 47 groups). Significant decreases in PTSD were found in the full sample (effect size [ES] range = 0.27 to 0.38), completers (ES range = 0.37 to 0.54), and group as the unit of analysis (ES range = 0.71 to 0.92), suggesting effectiveness of cognitive group treatment for PTSD. PCL scores significantly improved in the 8, 10, and 12 group lengths, with no differences between each. Clinical improvement showed a third decreasing 10 or more PCL points and 22% no longer meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria, with the best results in the 10-session group. The results suggest group-delivered cognitive therapy is an effective, efficient, time-limited treatment for PTSD.
Behavioral Health Care Line, New Mexico VA Health Care System, 1501 San Pedro SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, MSC 09 5030, University of New Mexico, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
Diane T
DT
Castillo
Psychology Department, Washington DC VA Medical Center, 50 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC 20422, USA.
Katharine
K
Lacefield
Behavioral Health Care Line, New Mexico VA Health Care System, 1501 San Pedro SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.
Janet C'de
JC
Baca
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, 7550 IH 10 West, Suite 1325, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
Abby
A
Blankenship
Clinical & Translational Science Center (CTSC), University of New Mexico, MSC 09 5030, University of New Mexico, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
Clifford
C
Qualls
PTSD; cognitive processing therapy; group therapy; women veterans