Comparative Efficiency of EMDR and Prolonged Exposure in Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-12
Author(s):  
Tracy M. McGuire Stanbury ◽  
Peter D. Drummond ◽  
Jonathan Laugharne ◽  
Claire Kullack ◽  
Christopher W. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Exposure Time ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Treatment Session ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Total Exposure ◽  
Traumatic Memories ◽  
Total Exposure Time

The comparative treatment efficiency of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was tested for 20 participants diagnosed with PTSD. Efficiency was operationalized as the total exposure time to traumatic memories during and between sessions; the number of trauma memories processed over the course of therapy; how many sessions were required to resolve the primary trauma; and lower subjective units of disturbance (SUD) levels after the initial treatment session. Participants were randomized to each condition and received 12 90-minute sessions of therapy over 6 weeks. Symptoms were assessed by treatment-blind assessors at posttreatment, and at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Results demonstrated a significant decrease in symptoms posttreatment for PTSD (d = .64), depression (d = .46), anxiety (d = .52) and stress (d = .57) for both groups, which was maintained at 3 months. At 6 months there was a small increase in symptoms compared to the 3-month time point on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) but no significant change in any self-report symptoms EMDR was significantly more efficient than PE. EMDR participants had less total exposure time to traumatic memories when homework hours were included (d = .66), reported lower SUD scores after the first session (d = .45), required fewer sessions for the target memory to decrease to near zero distress levels (d = .84), and processed more traumatic memories.

Animal-Assisted Prolonged Exposure: A Treatment for Survivors of Sexual Assault Suffering Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Bleiberg ◽  
Maurice Prout ◽  
Dennis Debiak ◽  
Carin Lefkowitz ◽  
Indira Paharia
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Traumatic Memories

AbstractThis paper proposes the development of a new model of treatment for survivors of sexual abuse suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Foa, Rothbaum, Riggs, and Murdock (1991) and Foa, Rothbaum, and Furr (2003) support Prolonged Exposure (PE) as a highly effective treatment for PTSD. However, PE can be intimidating to survivors, contributing to hesitancy to participate in the treatment. This paper posits that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) will decrease anxiety, lower physiological arousal, enhance the therapeutic alliance, and promote social lubrication. The paper also posits that AAT will enhance the value of PE by making it more accessible to survivors, increasing social interaction, and perhaps decreasing the number of sessions required for habituation to the traumatic memories.

Treating posttraumatic stress disorder with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: A preliminary meta-analysis and comparison to prolonged exposure therapy

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 595-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Amoroso ◽  
Michael Workman
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Secondary Outcome

Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a major area of research and development. The most widely accepted treatment for PTSD is prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, but for many patients it is intolerable or ineffective. ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) has recently re-emerged as a new treatment option, with two clinical trials having been published and both producing promising results. However, these results have yet to be compared to existing treatments. The present paper seeks to bridge this gap in the literature. Often the statistical significance of clinical trials is overemphasized, while the magnitude of the treatment effects is overlooked. The current meta-analysis aims to provide a comparison of the cumulative effect size of the MDMA-AP studies with those of PE. Effect sizes were calculated for primary and secondary outcome measures in the MDMA-AP clinical trials and compared to those of a meta-analysis including several PE clinical trials. It was found that MDMA-AP had larger effect sizes in both clinician-observed outcomes than PE did (Hedges’ g=1.17 vs. g=1.08, respectively) and patient self-report outcomes (Hedges’ g=0.87 vs. g=0.77, respectively). The dropout rates of PE and MDMA-AP were also compared, revealing that MDMA-AP had a considerably lower percentage of patients dropping out than PE did. These results suggest that MDMA-AP offers a promising treatment for PTSD.

scholarly journals Is Trauma Memory Special? Trauma Narrative Fragmentation in PTSD

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Bedard-Gilligan ◽  
Lori A. Zoellner ◽  
Norah C. Feeny
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Trauma Narrative ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Chronic Ptsd ◽  
Trauma Memory ◽  
And Control

Seminal theories posit that fragmented trauma memories are critical to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that elaboration of the trauma narrative is necessary for recovery. According to fragmentation theories, trauma narrative changes, particularly for those receiving trauma-focused treatment, should accompany symptom reduction. Trauma and control narratives in 77 men and women with chronic PTSD were examined pre- and posttreatment, comparing prolonged exposure (PE) and sertraline. Utilizing self-report, rater coding, and objective coding of narrative content, fragmentation was compared across narrative types (trauma, negative, positive) by treatment modality and response, controlling for potential confounds. Although sensory components increased with PE ( d = 0.23–0.44), there were no consistent differences in fragmentation from pre- to posttreatment between PE and sertraline or treatment responders and nonresponders. Contrary to theories, changes in fragmentation may not be a crucial mechanism underlying PTSD therapeutic recovery.

scholarly journals Prolonged exposure for the treatment of Spanish-speaking Puerto Ricans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a feasibility study

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mildred Vera ◽  
María L Reyes-Rabanillo ◽  
Deborah Juarbe ◽  
Coralee Pérez-Pedrogo ◽  
Alicia Olmo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Puerto Ricans ◽  
Spanish Speaking

Targeting the Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories With Electroconvulsive Therapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 89 (9) ◽  
pp. S196
Author(s):  
Victor Tang ◽  
Kathleen Trought ◽  
Kristina Gicas ◽  
Mari Kozak ◽  
Sheena Josselyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Memories
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