A Randomized Clinical Trial of Observed and Experiential Integration (OEI): A Simple, Innovative Intervention for Affect Regulation in Clients With PTSD

Since 1994 an innovative treatment has been in development for psychological trauma, known as Observed & Experiential Integration (OEI; Bradshaw, Cook, & McDonald, 2011; Cook & Bradshaw, 1999, 2002). In this small pilot RCT, OEI outperformed a delayed treatment control condition for reduction of PTSD symptoms on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). A script-driven symptom provocation protocol was employed. Ten mixed trauma survivors (3 male, 7 female) received three 1-hour sessions of OEI "Switching". After the delayed treatment group received the same intervention, all but one participant no longer met the criteria for PTSD. In this report, the RCT is supplemented by a qualitative 2-year follow up. OEI Switching can be easily taught to clients for affect regulation during, and between, sessions.