Written exposure therapy for veterans diagnosed with PTSD: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents significant treatment challenges in veterans, marked by high dropout rates.
• Written exposure therapy (WET) is an effective brief intervention for PTSD in civilian populations.
• There is a need for alternative, well-tolerated PTSD treatments for veterans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility and tolerability of written exposure therapy (WET) in male veterans diagnosed with PTSD.
• To assess treatment satisfaction and adverse events associated with WET in this population.

Main Methods:

• An uncontrolled trial was conducted with 7 male veterans diagnosed with PTSD.
• Participants underwent written exposure therapy.
• Feasibility, tolerability, treatment satisfaction, and PTSD symptom severity were assessed.

Main Results:

• Written exposure therapy was well tolerated and well received by veterans.
• Only one veteran dropped out; no adverse events were reported.
• Clinically significant PTSD symptom reduction was observed in 4 veterans post-treatment and 6 at 3-month follow-up.
• Five veterans no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria at the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Written exposure therapy appears to be a promising, brief, and well-tolerated treatment option for veterans with PTSD.
• Further research utilizing randomized controlled trials is necessary to confirm the efficacy of WET for veterans with PTSD.