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
Date
April 26, 2024
Creator(s)
Suzy J. M. A. Matthijssen, Sophie D. F. Menses, Hilde M. Huisman-van Dijk
Topics
PTSD
Practice & Methods
Comparative Studies, Integrative Therapies, Intensives
Extent
11 pages
Publisher
Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Rights
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
APA Citation
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
Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals
Language
English
Content Type
Article, Peer-Reviewed
Access Type
External Resource, Open Access
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