Comparison of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Dialogical Exposure Therapy (DET) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich150 enrolled

Overview

This study aims to compare two active psychological treatments for PTSD. One is an established therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) which operates as a control condition for a newly developed intervention, an integrative Gestalt-based trauma therapy, Dialogical Exposure Therapy (DET). There is no inactive control condition. We expect the two therapies to perform on a similar level, which would constitute evidence for the efficacy of DET.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

150

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Dialogical exposure therapyBEHAVIORAL

This 24-session treatment protocol includes cognitive-behavioral components integrated with a frame based on gestalt principles. There are four phases, safety, stabilization, confrontation and integration.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (German Adaptation)BEHAVIORAL

This is a German adaptation of Cognitive Processing Therapy, developed by Prof. P. A. Resick. This intervention includes cognitive restructuring, a focus on the traumatic memory and a focus on issues that are likely to be problematic in traumatized individuals.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * main diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder * time since trauma is at least three months Exclusion Criteria: * acute suicidal ideation * severe personality pathology * substance dependence * early childhood trauma (e.g. child sexual abuse) * history of psychosis * dissociative identity disorder * neurological impairment (e.g. craniocerebral injury with functional impairment) * severe pre-traumatic depression * ongoing psychotherapy * lack of motivation * lack of German language skills

Locations (1)

LS für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie

Munich, Germany

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

PTBS Symptom Severity

Even though participants are assessed by a clinical interview before entering the study, the primary outcome measure is the PDS which is applied before and after treatment as well as at 6-month follow-up.

Time frame: change from pretreatment to posttreatment (planned duration 12 weeks on average) to follow-up (six months after posttreatment)

Secondary Outcomes

PTSD Symptom change (IES-R)

The IES-R is a short instrument for the measurement of PTSD symptom severity. In this study, the IES-R is applied before every session in order to measure symptom change over the time of the therapy.

Time frame: change from pretreatment to posttreatment (planned duration 12 weeks on average) to follow-up (six months after posttreatment). Also measured at each session (up to 24 time points between pre- and posttreatment).

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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