Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 5, 2025
08:20
Simultaneous Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation during Virtual Reality Exposure
Published on: January 18, 2021
4.1K
Posttraumatic stress disorder treatment preference: Prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, or
Alexandra Shifrin1, Shankari Sharma1, Richard J Zeifman1
1Department of Psychology, Ryerson University.
Psychological Services
|July 11, 2022
Summary
Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prefer psychotherapy (CPT and PE) over medication, especially when experiencing PTSD symptoms. This highlights the need for accessible, evidence-based psychotherapies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Mental Health
Background:
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition requiring effective treatment.
- Patient preference plays a crucial role in treatment adherence and efficacy.
- Understanding preferences for evidence-based PTSD treatments is essential for improving outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate treatment preferences for PTSD among different populations.
- To examine the influence of likely PTSD severity on treatment choice.
- To assess credibility and personal reactions to front-line PTSD therapies.
Main Methods:
- Undergraduate students and trauma support group participants (N=245) evaluated prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive-processing therapy (CPT), and medication therapy (MT).
- Participants selected their preferred treatment and rated credibility and personal reactions.
- Statistical analyses examined preferences based on likely PTSD status.
Main Results:
- Psychotherapeutic treatments (CPT and PE) were generally preferred over medication therapy (MT).
- CPT was often preferred over PE, particularly by those with no likely PTSD.
- Students with likely PTSD showed lower credibility and personal reaction ratings for MT.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with PTSD generally prefer psychotherapeutic interventions over medication.
- Treatment preferences are influenced by the presence and severity of PTSD symptoms.
- Increased availability and utilization of evidence-based psychotherapies like CPT and PE are recommended for PTSD management.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Behavior Therapy
104
Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
104
01:27Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
100
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
100
01:25Cognitive Therapy
251
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
251
01:28Psychotherapy
165
Psychotherapy is a versatile, nonmedical approach aimed at helping individuals address emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal issues to enhance their overall well-being. It can involve one-on-one sessions, couples counseling, or small group discussions with a therapist. The therapeutic process includes various techniques such as open discussion, interpretation of thoughts and behaviors, active listening, positive reinforcement, and role modeling. Psychotherapy aims to support individuals in...
165
01:24Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders
264
Treatment approaches for psychological disorders fall into three main categories: psychological, biological, and sociocultural. Each approach targets different aspects of mental health, requiring varying levels of education and training.
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...
264
01:30Electroconvulsive Therapy
138
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early...
138