Behavioral Activation as a Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Returning Veterans: A Randomized Trial

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
• Clinical Psychology
• Military Mental Health

Background:

• Evidence-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are available, but many veterans do not complete or respond fully to them.
• There is a need for alternative therapeutic approaches for PTSD in veteran populations.
• Behavioral activation therapy (BAT) is a potential alternative that can be adapted for PTSD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified behavioral activation therapy for treating PTSD in veterans.
• To compare BAT with treatment as usual (TAU) in a randomized trial.

Main Methods:

• A randomized trial was conducted with 80 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
• Participants were recruited from VA health care systems.
• Behavioral activation was compared against standard care (TAU).

Main Results:

• Both groups showed decreased PTSD symptoms post-treatment and at follow-up.
• The behavioral activation group demonstrated greater improvement in PTSD symptom severity via self-report.
• The behavioral activation group also showed greater improvement in depression symptoms and overall functioning.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral activation therapy is a promising alternative treatment for veterans with PTSD.
• BAT may be particularly effective in reducing PTSD and depressive symptoms.
• High treatment satisfaction was reported by both groups.