Citation

Wagner AW, Jakupcak M, Kowalski HM, Bittinger JN, Golshan S. Psychiatr. Serv. 2019; ePub(ePub): appips201800572.

Affiliation

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon (Wagner, Kowalski); Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland (Wagner); VA National Telemental Health Hub, Continental Region, Salt Lake City (Jakupcak); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (Jakupcak); Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla (Golshan). Dr. Bittinger, who was with the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, is now deceased.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201800572

PMID

31337325

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Although evidence-based, trauma-processing treatments exist for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many individuals do not seek out, complete, or fully respond to these treatments, pointing to the need for alternative treatments. In this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy modified to address PTSD among veterans.

METHODS: In a randomized trial, behavioral activation was compared with treatment as usual (referral to PTSD "standard care") among a sample of 80 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who were enrolled at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Portland Health Care System and the VA Puget Sound Health Care System.

RESULTS: Levels of PTSD symptoms decreased for both groups across posttreatment and at 3-month follow-up as measured by clinical interview and self-report measures. The behavioral activation group had greater improvement on PTSD as evidenced by the self-report measure of symptom severity. Both groups also showed improvement on self-report measures of depression and overall functioning across time, with greater improvement on depression evidenced by the behavioral activation group. Ratings of treatment satisfaction were high for both groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral activation is a promising alternative treatment for PTSD.

Language: en

Keywords

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Psychotherapy