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Monson CM, Pukay-Martin ND, Wagner AC, Crenshaw AO, Blount TH, Schobitz RP, Dondanville KA, Young-McCaughan S, Mintz J, Riggs DS, Brundige A, Hembree EA, Litz BT, Roache JD, Yarvis JS, Peterson AL. Cognitive-behavioural conjoint therapy versus prolonged exposure for PTSD in military service members and veterans: results and lessons from a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2330305. [PMID: 38590124 PMCID: PMC11005874 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2330305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Military personnel and veterans are at heightened risk for exposure to traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as intimate relationship problems associated with PTSD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative efficacy of CBCT and PE in improving intimate relationship functioning in active duty military personnel or veterans and their intimate partners; both conditions were hypothesized to significantly improve PTSD. Method: In this study, 32 military service members or veterans with PTSD and their intimate partners were randomized to receive either Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (n = 15; CBCT; [Monson, C. M., & Fredman, S. J. (2012). Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: Harnessing the healing power of relationships. Guilford]), a trauma-focused couple therapy, or Prolonged Exposure (n = 17; PE; [Foa, E. B., Hembree, E. A., Dancu, C. V., Peterson, A. L., Cigrang, J. A., & Riggs, D. S. (2008). Prolonged exposure treatment for combat-related stress disorders - provider's treatment manual [unpublished]. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania]), a front-line evidence-based individual treatment for PTSD. There were significant challenges with recruitment and a significant difference in dropout from treatment for the two therapies (65% for PE; 27% for CBCT). Treatment dropout was differentially related to pre-treatment relationship functioning; those with below average relationship functioning had higher dropout in PE compared with CBCT, whereas those with above average relationship functioning did not show differential dropout. In general, CBCT led to relational improvements, but this was not consistently found in PE. Clinician- and self-reported PTSD symptoms improved with both treatments. This study is the first to test a couple or family therapy against a well-established, front-line recommended treatment for PTSD, with expected superiority of CBCT over PE on relationship outcomes. Lessons learned in trial design, including considerations of equipoise, and the effects of differential dropout on trial analyses are discussed. This trial provides further support for the efficacy of CBCT in the treatment of PTSD and enhancement of intimate relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice M. Monson
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Anne C. Wagner
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
- Remedy, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Tabatha H. Blount
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Richard P. Schobitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Katherine A. Dondanville
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Stacey Young-McCaughan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Research and Development Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jim Mintz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Research and Development Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - David S. Riggs
- Hérbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Center for Deployment Psychology, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Antoinette Brundige
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Brett T. Litz
- Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiological Research and Information Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D. Roache
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Research and Development Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Yarvis
- Department of Behavioral Health, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, TX, USA
| | - Alan L. Peterson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Research and Development Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - for the STRONG STAR Consortium
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
- Cincinnati VA Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Remedy, Toronto, Canada
- Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Hérbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Center for Deployment Psychology, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiological Research and Information Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Research and Development Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Behavioral Health, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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