Abstract
This study sought to identify specific trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom change (and the relationship thereof) within a variable length course of cognitive processing therapy (CPT). Clinical characteristics, including initial severity of PTSD and depressive symptoms and characterological features consistent with personality disorder diagnoses, were examined as potential predictors of treatment response trajectory. Male and female interpersonal violence survivors (N = 69) with PTSD were treated with a modified form of CPT wherein treatment end was dictated by individual course of recovery (4–18 sessions). Latent class growth analysis and Bayesian information criteria revealed three distinct groups based on change patterns (partial responders, consistent responders, and initial responders). Baseline PTSD and depressive symptoms and characterological features were associated with patterns of change. Findings provide evidence for variability in efficiency of response to PTSD treatment and highlight the need for continued assessment of progress to inform the course of therapy.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 1R34MH074937 Grant awarded to Tara E. Galovski at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and data was collected at the Center for Trauma Recovery. We thank the clinicians and research assistants whose work to make this research possible and the generous individuals who participated in these trials.
Funding
This study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health/NIH (1R34-MH-074937).
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Galovski received grant support for this project from National Institute of Mental Health/NIH. She has also received research grants from SAMHSA that are not related to this project. Harik, Blain and Chappuis declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Turner holds a research grant from Merek, Inc. (Migraine MK-0974 Proposal #36554) which examines adherence to migraine medication. Houle holds a research grant from Merek, Inc. (Migraine MK-0974 Proposal #36554) which examines adherence to migraine medication. Houle is also a statistical consultant for DePOMED—designs an FDA application for an abortive migraine drug for children.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.
Informed Consent
All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation. Informed consent was obtained from all individual subjects participating in the study.
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No animal studies were carried out by the authors for this article.
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Galovski, T.E., Harik, J.M., Blain, L.M. et al. Identifying Patterns and Predictors of PTSD and Depressive Symptom Change During Cognitive Processing Therapy. Cogn Ther Res 40, 617–626 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9770-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9770-4