Treatments for PTSD: Understanding the evidence - Psychotherapy

The first practice guideline for PTSD was published in 2000 by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). Guidelines produced by the American Psychiatric Association and the US Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense followed later, along with guidelines by groups in the United Kingdom and Australia (see Kilpatrick’s column, this issue, for information about PTSD treatment guidelines and references for these works). Psychotherapy figures prominently in these guidelines, especially treatments that are based on cognitive-behavioral techniques. A lot of research has appeared since 2000, so much that the ISTSS is issuing an updated guideline in 2008.

This article describes key issues to consider in interpreting the underlying literature on psychotherapy (Schnurr, 2007) and suggests articles for readers who want to read the original sources to find out which techniques are most effective. The focus is on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and recent publications, although the bibliography includes a few references to older studies as well.

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Paula P. Schnurr

Schnurr, P. P. (2008, Summer). Treatments for PTSD: Understanding the evidence - Psychotherapy. PTSD Research Quarterly, 19(3), 1-3