title: Prolonged Exposure for PTSD in a Veteran group: a pilot effectiveness study.
abstract: Previous research has consistently demonstrated that Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traditionally, PE has been studied and delivered on an individual basis. However, the growing number of Veterans in need of PTSD treatment has led to increased interest in group therapies as an efficient way to provide access to care. The current study examined a group and individual hybrid treatment that was developed based on PE principles. Treatment was 12 weeks in length and consisted of 12 one-hour group sessions focused on in vivo exposures, and an average of approximately five-hour long individual imaginal exposure sessions. Data for this study were derived from 67 veterans who participated in 12 cohorts of the Group PE. Significant reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms were found in both completers and intent-to-treat sample analyses. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States. Electronic address: Erin.Smith3@va.gov.
authors.forename: Erin R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Mahrie E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Defever
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Edna B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Foa
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: Sheila A M
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rauch
mesh_terms: D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Group psychotherapy; PTSD; Prolonged Exposure therapy; Veterans