title: Combining seeking safety with sertraline for PTSD and alcohol use disorders: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study marks the first randomized controlled trial to test the benefit of combining Seeking Safety (SS), a present-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), with sertraline, a front-line medication for PTSD shown to also impact drinking outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine participants (81% female; 59% African American) with primarily childhood sexual (46%) and physical (39%) trauma exposure, and drug dependence in addition to AUD were randomized to receive a partial-dose (12 sessions) of SS with either sertraline (n = 32; M = 7 sessions) or placebo (n = 37; M = 6 sessions). Assessments conducted at baseline, end-of-treatment, 6- and 12-months posttreatment measured PTSD and AUD symptom severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in PTSD symptoms. The SS plus sertraline group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in PTSD symptoms than the SS plus placebo group at end-of-treatment (M difference = -16.15, p = .04, d = 0.83), which was sustained at 6- and 12-month follow-up (M difference = -13.81, p = .04, d = 0.71, and M difference = -12.72, p = .05, d = 0.65, respectively). Both SS groups improved significantly on AUD severity at all posttreatment time points with no significant differences between SS plus sertraline and SS plus placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results support the combining of a cognitive-behavioral therapy and sertraline for PTSD/AUD. Clinically significant reductions in both PTSD and AUD severity were achieved and sustained through 12-months follow-up, Moreover, greater mean improvement in PTSD symptoms was observed across all follow-up assessments in the SS plus sertraline group. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Denise A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hien
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
authors.forename: Frances Rudnick
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Lesia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ruglass
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: López-Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papini
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
authors.forename: Mei-Chen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Lisa Renee
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline