Adding Emotion Regulation to Trauma-Focused CBT for PTSD

Training in emotion regulation lowers dropout rates and improves clinical outcomes.

At least one third of patients do not respond to trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leading researchers to suggest that some patients may require skills in tolerating emotion to benefit from CBT. These researchers conducted a randomized, controlled trial comparing two pretreatment approaches: emotion regulation training and supportive therapy.

The participants were 70 patients with PTSD due to motor vehicle accidents or nonsexual assault (age range, 18–65; 54% women). Therapy in both study arms consisted of 12 treatment sessions, starting with an introductory session and ending with 7 sessions of trauma-focused CBT. For sessions 2 through 5, each subject received either skills trainin…

Reviewing Author

Deborah Cowley, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Katz Family Foundation

Deborah Cowley, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Katz Family Foundation

Adding Emotion Regulation to Trauma-Focused CBT for PTSD

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Reviewing Author