Efficacy of 60-minute Versus 90-minute Sessions in Treating PTSD Using Prolonged Exposure

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Completed

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; PTSD

Treatments: Behavioral: Prolonged Exposure Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01911585

817717

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether 60-minute sessions of prolonged exposure (PE) are as effective as the standard 90-minute session for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants will include patients ages 18 or older with a current diagnosis of PTSD who are seeking treatment in our clinic. Patients who have current substance dependence, psychosis, and suicidal ideation with intent and plan may not be suitable for receiving PE and may be offered another treatment or referred to a different treatment center. Participants will be randomized to receive either the 90- minute or 60-minute PE session. A blind evaluator will assess for pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up levels of symptom severity using the PTSD Symptoms Scale Interview (PSS-I). Participants will attend weekly treatment sessions with any of our faculty members and will complete self-report measures at every session (see below).

Enrollment: 160 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Primary diagnosis of PTSD
• Recommended by therapist to receive Prolonged Exposure therapy

Exclusion criteria

• Current substance dependence, psychosis, suicidal ideation with intent and plan, or other psychiatric problems warranting immediate clinical attention or would interfere with Prolonged Exposure therapy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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160 participants in 2 patient groups

90 minute Prolonged Exposure Sessions

Active Comparator group

Description:

Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD consists of 10 to 15 weekly or twice-weekly sessions, each lasting about 90 minutes, with 40 to 60 minutes imaginal exposure.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Prolonged Exposure Therapy

60 minute Prolonged Exposure Sessions

Experimental group

Description:

This treatment condition is a modified version of Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD. It consists of 10 to 15 weekly or twice-weekly sessions, each lasting about 60 minutes, with 20 minutes imaginal exposure.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Prolonged Exposure Therapy