Cortisol response following exposure treatment for PTSD in rape victims

This study examined changes in salivary cortisol levels pre-to-post-treatment in adult female rape victims diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) randomly assigned to be treated with either Prolonged Exposure Therapy or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Salivary cortisol was collected at baseline, session 3, and session 9. A significant decrease in salivary cortisol levels was observed in individuals classified as treatment responders in both treatment conditions. Findings suggest that successful exposure-based treatments for PTSD which result in trauma-related and depressive symptom reduction may impact the action of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as measured by changes in level of salivary cortisol from pre-to-post-treatment.

Journal

English

Maryrose Gerardi
Barbara  O. Rothbaum
Millie C. Astin
Mary Kelley

Gerardi, M., Rothbaum, B. O., Astin, M.C., & Kelley, M. (2010, June). Cortisol response following exposure treatment for PTSD in rape victims. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 19(4), 349-356. doi:10.1080/10926771003781297