The bumpy road of trauma-focused treatment: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom exacerbation in people with psychosis
This study, which was part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial, investigated PTSD symptom exacerbation during EMDR therapy and prolonged exposure (PE) in a sample of 99 participants with PTSD and psychosis.
Article Abstract
“Concern for symptom exacerbation and treatment drop-out is an important barrier to the implementation of trauma-focused therapy (TFT), especially in people with a psychotic disorder. This study, which was part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial, investigated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom exacerbation during eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and prolonged exposure (PE) in a sample of 99 participants with PTSD and psychosis. Symptom exacerbations during the first four sessions (early exacerbation) and between-session exacerbations over the course of therapy were monitored using the PTSD Symptom Scale–Self Report. Analyses of covariance and chi-square tests were conducted to investigate exacerbation rates and their associations with treatment response and drop-out. Both early exacerbation and between-session exacerbation were relatively common (32.3% and 46.5%, respectively) but were unrelated to poor treatment response or an increased likelihood of treatment drop-out. Both clinicians and patients need to be aware that symptom exacerbation during TFT is common and not related to poor outcomes. Symptom exacerbation can be part of the therapeutic process, should be acknowledged and guided, and should not be a barrier to the implementation of TFT in people with psychosis.”
—Description from publisher
Article Access
Open Access
Burger, S. R., Hardy, A., van der Linden, T., van Zelst, C., de Bont, P. A. J., van der Vleugel, V., Staring, A. B. P., de Roos, C., de Jongh, A., Marcelis, M., van Minnen, A., van der Gaag, M., & van den Berg, D. P. G. (2023). The bumpy road of trauma-focused treatment: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom exacerbation in people with psychosis. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 36(2), 299-309. Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22907
Date
January 31, 2023
Creator(s)
Simone R. Burger, Amy Hardy, Tineke van der Linden
Contributor(s)
Catherine van Zelst, Paul A. J. de Bont, Berber van der Vleugel, Anton B. P. Staring, Carlijn de Roos, Ad de Jongh, Machteld Marcelis, Agnes van Minnen, Mark van der Gaag, David P. G. van den Berg
Topics
Psychosis/Schizophrenia, PTSD
Practice & Methods
Comparative Studies
Extent
10 pages
Publisher
Wiley
Rights
© 2023 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
APA Citation
Burger, S. R., Hardy, A., van der Linden, T., van Zelst, C., de Bont, P. A. J., van der Vleugel, V., Staring, A. B. P., de Roos, C., de Jongh, A., Marcelis, M., van Minnen, A., van der Gaag, M., & van den Berg, D. P. G. (2023). The bumpy road of trauma-focused treatment: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom exacerbation in people with psychosis. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 36(2), 299-309. Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22907
Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals
Language
English
Content Type
Article, Peer-Reviewed
Access Type
External Resource, Open Access
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