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Randomized Clinical Trial of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Police Officers with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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Abstract

The authors report on a randomized, controlled clinical trial on the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), comparing manualized psychotherapy to wait-list control. This is the first study to evaluate Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy (BEP), which combines cognitive–behavioral and psychodynamic approaches within one treatment method. Forty-two police officers with the diagnosis of PTSD participated in the study; 22 were randomly assigned to the treatment group and 20 to the wait-list control group. Assessments of PTSD and comorbid conditions were made 1 week before treatment, after treatment session 4, upon termination of treatment (16 sessions), and at follow-up 3 months later. As expected, no significant differences between groups were observed at pretest or at session 4. At posttest and at follow-up, BEP had produced significant improvement in PTSD, in work resumption, and in some comorbid conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Tafelbergweg 25, 1105 BC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Berthold P. R. Gersons, Ingrid V. E. Carlier & Regina D. Lamberts

  2. Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Bessel A. van der Kolk

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  1. Berthold P. R. Gersons
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  2. Ingrid V. E. Carlier
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  3. Regina D. Lamberts
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  4. Bessel A. van der Kolk
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Gersons, B.P.R., Carlier, I.V.E., Lamberts, R.D. et al. Randomized Clinical Trial of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Police Officers with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J Trauma Stress 13, 333–347 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007793803627

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007793803627

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