Treating Low-Income and Minority Women With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study Comparing Prolonged Exposure and Treatment as Usual Conducted by Community Therapists

• NCJ Number: 237077
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 23 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 1027-1040
• Author(s): Ulrike Feske
• Date Published: August 2008
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH01675
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the effectiveness of prolonged exposure (PE) over posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by therapists in a front-line services clinic.

Abstract

Twenty-one female psychiatric outpatients with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are randomly assigned to prolonged exposure (PE; n = 9) for PTSD or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 12). Participants are predominately low income and African-American with complex trauma and psychiatric histories. Treatment is delivered by community therapists with no prior training in behavior therapy for anxiety disorders. Clients who completed PE show a greater improvement in PTSD symptoms, general anxiety, and depression than clients who completed TAU. These findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting that PE is an effective treatment for core PTSD symptoms, even when delivered by community therapists in a front-line services clinic. (Published Abstract)