At a glance
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Interpersonal Therapy for Veterans With PTSD
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Interpersonal Therapy for PTSD and Prolonged Exposure for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Completed, enrolled 115 participants across 2 sites.
Detailed Summary
Interpersonal problems such as relationship conflict and social isolation are common among Veterans with PTSD and serve as barriers to successful posttraumatic adjustment. The main interventions for PTSD at VA facilities, i.e., Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Trauma-Focused CBT, do not directly target these relationship difficulties and many Veterans do not complete these treatments. Couple and family approaches for PTSD address relationship problems, but logistical problems make it difficult for couples to attend sessions and these approaches do not involve Veterans who are socially isolated or unmarried. There is accumulating evidence that Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) for PTSD may be effective in reducing symptoms and improving interpersonal functioning. This study, a randomized controlled trial, aims to provide evidence regarding whether IPT for PTSD could be a useful addition to current treatments delivered at the VA.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
Relationally focused treatment that focuses on relationship problems that may be caused or maintained by PTSD symptoms. Consists of 12 individual weekly sessions of 45 to 50 minutes. Includes psycho-education, assessing which relationships (or lack of) are causing problems for the Veteran, and addressing the problem areas identified through specific strategies (e.g. communication analysis, decision analysis, role play). Final 2 sessions focus on consolidating what has been learned, what issues remain, identifying types of relationship triggers that could reactivate symptoms, and addressing feelings about termination.
Aim is to allow Veterans to re-experience traumatic events experienced during military service in a safe and supportive environment, and to re-engage in activities they have been avoiding. 12 individual weekly sessions of 90 minutes. Consists of psychoeducation, breathing retraining, imaginal exposure (repeated imaginal recall of the trauma including sensory details, and associated thoughts and feelings experienced during the trauma), and with trauma, and in vivo exposure (systematically confronting feared and avoided places and activities).