Healthcare cost reduction and psychiatric symptom improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder patients treated with intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy

Healing wounded trees: clinicians' perspectives on treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder

While treatment guidelines agree on the first-line interventions for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is an ongoing debate between experts regarding the treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). As scientific research is slowly emerging, different treatment approaches are used in clinical practice This article aims to provide a set of treatment options for C-PTSD in adult survivors of repeated exposure to severe violence and abuse, both in childhood and later on in life. The developmental-contextual perspective on mental health forms the basis of this approach. This perspective is elaborated using the tree metaphor. Then, several treatment strategies are suggested. The presented strategies are a combination of the existing evidence-based approaches for the treatment of PTSD and personality disorders. They target psychological damage in survivors while taking their developmental trajectories and ecological environments into consideration. The treatment model presented is based on longstanding clinical practice and it may be a promising framework for treating C-PTSD. However, it still needs to be scientifically examined for acceptability and effectiveness.

Challenging the role of challenge in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) requires the technique of challenge to defenses when treating resistant patients. As the technique of challenge is difficult for some therapists to practice, it leads us to question whether challenge can be replaced by clarification of defenses without losing treatment effectiveness. This study compared ISTDP with two different technical emphases while treating social anxiety disorder (SAD).

METHOD

Forty-two subjects with DSM-5 SAD were randomly assigned to either a waitlist control, 10 sessions of ISTDP with the use of challenge or 10 sessions of ISTDP without the use of challenge.

RESULTS

ISTDP led to significant, sustained symptom reduction on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR) compared with the control group. There were no significant outcome differences between standard ISTDP and ISTDP where challenge was restricted.

CONCLUSION

ISTDP is efficacious for SAD. ISTDP may be effective for SAD without the use of challenge elements.