Effectiveness of Prolonged-Exposure Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Women

The lifetime prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among U.S. adults is two to three times higher in women than in men and is particularly high among women who have served in the military. Standard care for PTSD includes the use of SSRIs and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Prolonged exposure, a type of CBT, features vivid recounting of the traumatic event until the emotional distress associated with it no longer provokes fear.

Investigators randomized 277 female veterans and 7 female active-duty personnel (mean age, 45) who met the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD to receive 10 weekly 90-minute sessions of either prolonged exposure or supportive counseling (present-centered therapy). Prolonged exposure included education about reac…