Psychological Mechanisms of PTSD and Its Treatment.
Psychological mechanisms can be defined as processes or events that are responsible for specific changes in psychological outcomes. In psychotherapy research, mechanisms are the factors through which interventions produce change. In this article, we explain the importance of identifying psychological mechanisms, describe methods for identifying them, and analyze recent literature on the psychological mechanisms underlying the development and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on the findings of recent investigations (from 2013 to present), we focus on four putative mechanisms: emotional engagement, extinction and contextualization, distress tolerance, and negative posttraumatic cognitions. Future directions for psychological mechanism research are also outlined, including possible opportunities for capitalizing on the most promising mechanisms identified to date.
VA Center for Clinical Management Research, Health Services Research and Development, 2800 Plymouth Road, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. rekaufma@umich.edu.|VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, 48105, MI, USA. rekaufma@umich.edu.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 2450 Plymouth Road, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. rekaufma@umich.edu.
Rebecca K
RK
Sripada
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Drive NE #200, 30329, Atlanta, GA, USA.|Atlanta VA Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road, 30033, Decatur, GA, USA.
Sheila A M
SA
Rauch
VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, 48105, MI, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 2450 Plymouth Road, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Israel
I
Liberzon
D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Outcomes; PTSD; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychotherapy; Treatment
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