Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Analyzing 11 studies, we evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring depression symptoms in individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Separate meta-analytic procedures for between-group studies using waitlist or alternative treatment comparisons yielded large to very large effect sizes for CPT versus waitlist, and medium to large effect sizes when CPT was compared to alternative treatments. Implications for evidence-supported practice and study limitations are discussed.