Scaling massed evidence-based psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder through virtual intensive treatment:...

Evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) delivered in a massed or intensive format have been shown to improve treatment completion rates while preserving clinical effectiveness. However, implementation of intensive EBPs has been limited, largely because they are traditionally delivered in person, constraining reach and scalability. The present study evaluates the feasibility of a novel initiative in which an in-person intensive treatment program (ITP) expanded access by offering stand-alone, virtually delivered intensive treatments (vITs) nationwide through interjurisdictional compacts.

Data were collected from 188 military service members, veterans, and eligible family members who sought care at an established, in-person ITP. Feasibility was evaluated in terms of demand, implementation, practicality, acceptability, and effectiveness.

Demand for vITs was high with 90.43% of referrals resulting in treatment initiation (n = 170) from 29 U.S. states. Implementation indicators showed that most people preferred to meet once per day for 2 weeks (65.88%) and treatment completion was high (88.24%). Demand for vIT services increased by 50.67% year over year during the study period, demonstrating scalability and sustained uptake. Consistent reductions in PTSD and depression severity were observed across EBPs. Most participants (96.4%) reported high satisfaction.

Findings suggest that vIT is a feasible and acceptable strategy for expanding access to massed EBPs for PTSD while remaining connected to an established in-person program. Leveraging a telemental health interjurisdictional compact enabled national reach, high engagement, and promising clinical outcomes, supporting vIT as a scalable hybrid model to reduce access barriers and wait times. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).