Treatment-related Beliefs and Reactions Among Trauma-focused Therapy Completers and Discontinuers: A Qualitative Examination

Overview

Journal Psychol Serv

Specialties Health Services
Psychiatry
Psychology

Date 2024 Jan 2

PMID 38166295

Authors

Elizabeth Alpert

Alexandra Gowdy-Jaehnig

Tara E Galovski

Laura A Meis

Melissa A Polusny

Princess E Ackland

Michele Spoont

Helen Valenstein-Mah

Robert J Orazem

Paula P Schnurr

Kathleen M Chard

Shannon M Kehle-Forbes

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are effective, but some patients do not respond adequately, and dropout rates are high. Patients' beliefs about treatment and perceptions of treatment components influence treatment outcomes and may be amenable to change through intervention. The present study sought to identify beliefs and reactions to PE and CPT that differentiated completers who screened negative for a PTSD diagnosis after treatment (PTSD-), completers who screened positive for a PTSD diagnosis after treatment (PTSD+), and discontinuers who attended six or fewer sessions. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes in qualitative data collected via retrospective semistructured interviews with 51 completers (19 PTSD- after treatment, 32 PTSD+ after treatment) and 66 discontinuers of PE/CPT. Participants were demographically diverse veterans across service eras. Treatment-related beliefs and reactions differentiating these groups included perceived helpfulness of treatment, self-efficacy in engaging in treatment, anticipatory anxiety and concerns, interpretations of ongoing symptoms, and perceived consequences of treatment on functioning. Further, some patterns seemed to differ in early treatment sessions compared to during the active components of treatment. Findings point to potentially malleable targets that could be intervened upon to improve trauma-focused treatment outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Citing Articles

"Pitching" posttraumatic stress disorder treatment: A qualitative study of how providers discuss evidence-based psychotherapies with patients.

Hooyer K, Hamblen J, Kehle-Forbes S, Larsen S J Trauma Stress. 2024; 37(6):901-912.

PMID: 38812334 PMC: 11629834. DOI: 10.1002/jts.23058.

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