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Individual cognitive processing therapy had better PTSD improvement

  • A large randomized study has found that cognitive processing therapy works better when administered on an individual basis, but that regardless, it is only successful about half the time.

A randomized clinical trial of 268 active-duty personnel seeking treatment for PTSD has found that individual sessions of cognitive processing therapy were twice as effective as group sessions.

Participants were assigned to CPT in either 90-minute group sessions or 60-minute individual sessions twice weekly for six weeks. PTSD severity was reduced significantly more in those receiving individual treatment, however improvements were maintained during the six-month follow-up in both groups. Depression and suicidal ideation also improved equally with both forms of CPT.

However, even among those receiving individual CPT, some 50% still had PTSD and clinically significant symptoms.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/tjnj-icp112116.php

Full paper available at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2587076

Reference

Resick, P. A., Wachen, J. S., Dondanville, K. A., Pruiksma, K. E., Yarvis, J. S., Peterson, A. L., … Young-McCaughan, S. (2017). Effect of Group vs Individual Cognitive Processing Therapy in Active-Duty Military Seeking Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 74(1), 28. Retrieved from http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.2729

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