Randomized Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adult Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

TLDR

The study aimed to test whether CBT reduces PTSD symptoms more than problem‑solving therapy and a wait‑list control. A randomized trial of 74 women with childhood sexual‑abuse–related PTSD compared individual CBT, problem‑solving therapy, and wait‑list control. CBT produced higher remission rates than PCT, both CBT and PCT outperformed wait‑list, but CBT had a higher dropout rate, while both therapies yielded sustained symptom reduction.

Abstract

The authors conducted a randomized clinical trial of individual psychotherapy for women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to childhood sexual abuse (n = 74), comparing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with a problem-solving therapy (present-centered therapy; PCT) and to a wait-list (WL). The authors hypothesized that CBT would be more effective than PCT and WL in decreasing PTSD and related symptoms. CBT participants were significantly more likely than PCT participants to no longer meet criteria for a PTSD diagnosis at follow-up assessments. CBT and PCT were superior to WL in decreasing PTSD symptoms and secondary measures. CBT had a significantly greater dropout rate than PCT and WL. Both CBT and PCT were associated with sustained symptom reduction in this sample.