Written Exposure Therapy for Veterans Diagnosed with PTSD: A Pilot Study

There is a need to identify alternative treatment options for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially among veterans where PTSD tends to be more difficult to treat and dropout rates are especially high. One potential alternative is written exposure therapy, a brief intervention shown to treat PTSD among civilians effectively. This study investigated the feasibility and tolerability of written exposure therapy in an uncontrolled trial with a sample of 7 male veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Findings indicated that written exposure therapy was well tolerated and well received. Only 1 of the 7 veterans dropped out of treatment, no adverse events occurred during the course of treatment, and veterans provided high treatment satisfaction ratings. Clinically significant improvements in PTSD symptom severity were observed for 4 veterans at posttreatment and 6 veterans at the 3‐month follow up. Moreover, 5 of the 7 veterans no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD 3 months following treatment. These findings suggest that written exposure therapy holds promise as a brief, well tolerated treatment for veterans with PTSD. However, additional research using randomized controlled trial methodology is needed to confirm its efficacy. Traditional and Simplified Chinese s by AsianSTSS 標題：對患有PTSD的退役軍人進行書寫暴露療法的先導研究。 撮要：退役軍人中創傷後壓力症(PTSD)較難治療，而且退出治療者眾，所以有必要找出其他治療PTSD的方案。書寫暴露療法是現時在平民中有效治療PTSD的短期介入方案。本研究在7名退役而患有PTSD的男士兵中利用非對照試驗檢查書寫暴露療法的可行性和耐受性。結果証實此療法是可接受和受患者歡迎的。只有一名退役兵退出此治療，治療過程中未見有害事件發生，而且退役軍人對治療非常滿意。在治療後有4名退役軍人的PTSD症狀嚴重度有顯著改進，而在3個月覆診時則有6名退役軍人有此改進。在3個月覆診時有5名退役軍人不再判斷為PTSD患者。本研究結果顯示書寫暴露療法對治療患上PTSD的退役軍人方面，不失為一個受歡迎而簡短的治療方案。我們亦需要更多隨機對照研究來確定治療的效果。 标题：对患有PTSD的退役军人进行书写暴露疗法的先导研究。 撮要：退役军人中创伤后压力症(PTSD)较难治疗，而且退出治疗者众，所以有必要找出其他治疗PTSD的方案。书写暴露疗法是现时在平民中有效治疗PTSD的短期介入方案。本研究在7名退役而患有PTSD的男军人中利用非对照试验检查书写暴露疗法的可行性和耐受性。结果证实此疗法是可接受和受患者欢迎的。只有一名退役军人退出此治疗，治疗过程中未见有害事件发生，而且退役军人对治疗非常满意。在治疗后有4名退役军人的PTSD症状严重度有显着改进，而在3个月覆诊时则有6名退役军人有此改进。在3个月覆诊时有5名退役军人不再判断为PTSD患者。本研究结果显示书写暴露疗法对治疗患上PTSD的退役军人方面，不失为一个受欢迎而简短的治疗方案。我们亦需要更多随机对照研究来确定治疗的效果。