The effects of an intensive outpatient treatment for PTSD

This study looked at the effectiveness of EMDR therapy alongside other treatments for PTSD in an intensive outpatient setting.

Article Abstract

“Introduction: Research has shown that combining different evidence-based PTSD treatments for patients with PTSD in an intensive inpatient format seems to be a promising approach to enhance efficiency and reduce generally high dropout rates.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an intensive six-day outpatient trauma-focused treatment for patients with PTSD.

Method: Data from 146 patients (89.7% female, mean age = 36.79, SD = 11.31) with PTSD due to multiple traumatization were included in the analyses. The treatment programme consisted of six days of treatment within two weeks, with two daily individual 90-minute trauma-focused sessions (prolonged exposure and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), one hour of exercise, and one hour of psychoeducation. All participants experienced multiple traumas, and 85.6% reported one or more comorbid psychiatric disorders. PTSD symptoms and diagnoses were assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5), and self-reported symptoms were assessed with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

Results: A significant decline in PTSD symptoms (CAPS-5 and PCL-5) from pretreatment to one-month follow-up (Cohen’s d = 1.13 and 1.59) was observed and retained at six-month follow-up (Cohen’s d = 1.47 and 1.63). After one month, 52.4% of the patients no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD (CAPS-5). The Reliable Change Index (RCI) shows that 73.9% of patients showed improvement on the CAPS-5 and 77.61% on the PCL-5. Additionally, 21.77% (CAPS-5) and 20.0% (PCL-5) showed no change, while 4.84% (CAPS-5) and 2.96% (PCL-5) showed symptom worsening.

Discussion: The results show that an intensive outpatient trauma treatment programme, including two evidence-based trauma-focused treatments, exercise, and psychoeducation, is effective for patients suffering from PTSD as a result of multiple traumatization. Subsequent research should focus on more controlled studies comparing the treatment programme with other intensive trauma treatments and less frequent routine treatment.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Matthijssen, S. M. J. A., Menses, S. D. F., Huisman-van Dijk, H. M. (2024). The effects of an intensive outpatient treatment for PTSD. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 15(1), 2341548. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2024.2341548