Effects of high-intensity interval training on sleep disturbances associated with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Sleep disturbances are common in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder. Exercise interventions are a promising approach in the treatment of sleep disorders, but little is known about the efficacy of exercise interventions for sleep disturbances associated with posttraumatic stress disorder. A total of 40 individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder were randomized to six sessions of either high-intensity interval training or low-to-moderate-intensity training, administered within 12 days. Sleep quality was assessed over 24 days from baseline to post with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a sleep log, and a waist-worn actigraphy. Analyses revealed that, regardless of group allocation, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score improved significantly by 2.28 points for high-intensity interval training and 1.70 points for low-to-moderate-intensity training (d = 0.56 for high-intensity interval training; 0.49 for low-to-moderate-intensity training) over time, while there were no significant changes in any sleep log or actigraphy measure. Analysis of a subsample of those affected by clinically significant sleep disturbances (n = 24) revealed a significant time effect with no difference between exercise interventions: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index improved significantly by 2.65 points for high-intensity interval training and 2.89 points for low-to-moderate-intensity training (d = 0.53 for high-intensity interval training; 0.88 for low-to-moderate-intensity training), and actigraphy measure of wake after sleep onset was reduced significantly by 14.39 minutes for high-intensity interval training and 6.96 minutes for low-to-moderate-intensity training (d = 0.47 for high-intensity interval training; 0.11 for low-to-moderate-intensity training) from baseline to post. In our pilot study, we found an improvement in sleep quality from pre- to post-assessment. There were no significant differences between exercise groups. Further studies are needed to investigate whether the found time effects reflect the exercise intervention or unrelated factors.

What to think or how to think - is symptom reduction in posttraumatic symptomatology associated with change in posttraumatic cognitions or perseverative thinking? A latent change score model approach.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) report changes in what they think of the world and themselves, referred to as posttraumatic cognitions, and changes in how they think, reflected in increased perseverative thinking. We investigated whether pre-post therapy changes in the two aspects of thinking were associated with pre-post therapy changes in posttraumatic symptom severity. METHOD: 219 d clinic patients with posttraumatic stress symptoms received trauma-focused psychotherapy with cognitive behavioral and metacognitive elements. The posttraumatic cognitions inventory (PTCI), the perseverative thinking questionnaire (PTQ), and the Davidson trauma scale (DTS) were applied at two occasions, pre- and post-therapy. Using latent change score models, we investigated whether change in PTCI and change in PTQ were associated with change in DTS and its subscales. We then compared the predictive value of PTQ and PTCI in joint models. RESULTS: When jointly modeled, change in overall DTS score was associated with change in both PTCI and PTQ. Concerning DTS subscales, reexperiencing and avoidance were significantly associated with change in PTCI, but not in PTQ. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that both aspects of cognition may be valuable targets of psychotherapy. A focus on posttraumatic cognitions might be called for in patients with severe reexperiencing and avoidance.

Sexual Dysfunctions in Women with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Childhood Sexual Abuse: Prevalence Rates According to DSM-5 and Clinical Correlates.

Many women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after child sexual abuse (CSA) suffer from sexual problems. However, little is known about the frequency of female sexual dysfunctions (FSD) as defined by DSM-5 among women with PTSD due to CSA. Furthermore, factors related to FSD in this patient population are understudied. To assess prevalence rates and clinical correlates of FSD according to DSM-5 criteria in women with PTSD after CSA, a structured clinical interview for sexual dysfunctions according to DSM-5 criteria was administered in a sample of 137 women with PTSD after CSA. Participants also completed measures for PTSD, depression symptoms, and borderline personality disorder symptoms. The association between FSD, severity of abuse, PTSD-, depression-, borderline symptom severity, and age was examined. In a second step, the association between FSD and PTSD-clusters was assessed. Diagnostic criteria of female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD) were met by 2.6% of women in our sample. 5.2% met criteria of female orgasmic disorder (FOD), and 11.8% those of genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD). PTSD symptom severity predicted number of fulfilled criteria of FSIAD and FOD, the cluster "negative alterations in cognition and mood," was associated with more fulfilled criteria in FSIAD and FOD. The majority of women reported sexual problems, but diagnostic criteria of FSD were met by only a small number of participants. PTSD symptoms, especially the cluster "negative alterations in cognition and mood," seem to be related to female sexual functioning after CSA.

Treating nightmares in posttraumatic stress disorder with dronabinol: study protocol of a multicenter randomized controlled study (THC PTSD-trial).

BACKGROUND: Distressing nightmares are a core symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and contribute to psychiatric comorbidity, impaired physical health and decreased social functioning. No specific pharmacological treatment for PTSD-related nightmares is yet approved. Preliminary clinical data indicate that cannabinoid agonists can improve nightmares and overall PTSD symptoms in patients with PTSD. The primary objective of the study is to examine the efficacy of oral dronabinol (BX-1) versus placebo in reducing nightmares in patients with PTSD. The secondary objectives of the study are to examine the efficacy of oral BX-1 in reducing other PTSD symptoms. METHODS: The study is designed as a multi-centric, double-blind, randomized (1:1), placebo-controlled, parallel group interventional trial. Eligible patients will be randomized to BX-1 or placebo, receiving a once-daily oral dose before bedtime for 10 weeks. Primary efficacy endpoint is the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV) B2 score for the last week, measuring frequency and intensity of nightmares. Secondary efficacy endpoints are other disorder-specific symptoms in patients with PTSD. Further, tolerability and safety of dronabinol will be assessed. DISCUSSION: This randomized controlled trial will provide evidence whether treating patients with PTSD and nightmares with dronabinol is safe and efficacious. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04448808, EudraCT 2019-002211-25.

Increased recruitment of cognitive control in the presence of traumatic stimuli in complex PTSD.

A neurocircuitry model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggests increased amygdala responses to emotional stimuli, coupled with hypoactivation of prefrontal regions associated with cognitive control. However, results are heterogenous across different subsamples of PTSD as well as different paradigms. We investigated cognitive control in a classic and emotional Stroop task in 28 female patients with complex PTSD (cPTSD), 28 female trauma-exposed healthy controls (TCs) and 28 female non-trauma-exposed healthy controls (HCs) using functional neuroimaging. Afterwards, we assessed memory function in a spontaneous free recall and recognition task. Patients with cPTSD displayed significantly greater Stroop interference with trauma-related words (as reflected in slower reaction times and increased errors) compared to the other conditions and compared to the TC and HC groups. Moreover, patients with cPTSD showed increased activation in the context of trauma-related words in brain regions associated with cognitive control (dlPFC, vmPFC, dACC) compared to both control groups, and a trend for increased activation in the insula compared to the HC group. Increased recruitment of regions contributing to cognitive control in patients with cPTSD, together with a lack of amygdala response may point to efforts to compensate for emotional distraction caused by the trauma-related words.

Changes in Trauma-Related Emotions Following Treatment With Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder After Childhood Abuse.

Dialectical behavior therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (DBT-PTSD) is a trauma-focused therapy shown to reduce core PTSD symptoms, such as intrusions, hyperarousal, and avoidance. Preliminary data indicate effects on elevated trauma-related emotions (e.g., guilt and shame) and possibly radical acceptance of the traumatic event. However, it is unclear if improvements in these variables are significant after controlling for changes in core PTSD symptoms and to what extent nonclinical levels are obtained. In the current study, 42 individuals who met criteria for PTSD after childhood abuse and were participating in a 3-month residential DBT-PTSD program were evaluated at the start of the exposure phase of DBT-PTSD and the end of treatment; a nonclinical sample with a history of childhood abuse was the reference group. Multivariate analyses of variance and multivariate analyses of covariance controlling for change in core PTSD symptoms were used to evaluate changes in several elevated trauma-related emotions (fear, anger, guilt, shame, disgust, sadness, and helplessness) and in radical acceptance. In a repeated measures multivariate analyses of variance, both elevated trauma-related emotions and radical acceptance significantly improved during DBT-PTSD, λ = 0.34, p < .001; η2 = .56; t(40) = -5.66, p < .001, SMD = 0.88, even after controlling for changes in PTSD symptoms, λ = 0.35, p < .001, η2 = .65; Λ = 0.86, p = .018, η2 = .14, respectively. Posttreatment, 31.0% (for acceptance) to 76.2% (for guilt) of participants showed nonclinical levels of the investigated outcomes, suggesting that both trauma-related emotions and radical acceptance changed after the 3-month residential DBT-PTSD program.

Spanish Abstracts by Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET) Los Cambios en las Emociones Relacionadas al Trauma posterior al Tratamiento con Terapia Dialéctica Conductual para el Trastorno de Estrés Traumático después de Abuso Infantil EMOCION RELACIONADA AL TRAUMA Y TERAPIA DIALECTICA CONDUCTUAL La terapia dialéctica conductual para el trastorno de estrés traumático (TDC-TEPT) es una terapia centrada en el trauma que ha mostrado una reducción de los síntomas centrales del TEPT, tales como intrusiones, hiperactivación, y evitación. Resultados preliminares indican efectos sobre elevadas emociones relacionadas con el trauma (por ej., culpa y vergüenza) y la aceptación posiblemente radical del evento traumático. Sin embargo, no es claro si las mejoras en estas variables son significativas luego de controlar los cambios en los síntomas centrales del TEPT y en qué medida se obtienen niveles no clínicos. En el presente estudio, 42 individuos que cumplieron con los criterios para el TEPT luego de un abuso infantil y que participaron en un programa residencial de la TDC-TEPT por 3 meses fueron evaluados al principio de su etapa de exposición a la TDC-TEPT y al final del tratamiento; una muestra no clínica con una historia de abuso infantil fue el grupo de referencia. Análisis multivariados de varianza y análisis multivariados de covarianza controlando los cambios en los síntomas centrales del TEPT fueron usados para evaluar los cambios en diferentes emociones relacionadas al trauma elevadas (temor, rabia, culpa, vergüenza, disgusto, tristeza, y desesperanza) y una aceptación radical. En los análisis multivariados de la varianza de medidas repetidas, las elevadas emociones relacionadas al trauma y la aceptación radical mejoraron significativamente durante la TDC-TEPT, λ = 0.34, p < .001; η2 = .56; t(40) = -5.66, p < .001, SMD = 0.88, incluso luego de controlar por los cambios en los síntomas del TEPT, λ = 0.35, p < .001, η2 = .65; Λ = 0.86, p = .018, η2 = .14, respectivamente. Al término del tratamiento, 31.0% (para aceptación) al 76.2% (para culpa) de los participantes mostraron niveles no clínicos de los resultados investigados, sugiriendo que tanto las emociones relacionadas con el trauma como la aceptación radical, cambió luego del programa residencial de la TDC-TEPT por 3 meses.

Generalisation of fear in PTSD related to prolonged childhood maltreatment: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Fear responses are particularly intense and persistent in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and can be evoked by unspecific cues that resemble the original traumatic event. Overgeneralisation of fear might be one of the underlying mechanisms. We investigated the generalisation and discrimination of fear in individuals with and without PTSD related to prolonged childhood maltreatment. METHODS: Sixty trauma-exposed women with (N = 30) and without (N = 30) PTSD and 30 healthy control participants (HC) underwent a fear conditioning and generalisation paradigm. In a contingency learning procedure, one of two circles of different sizes was associated with an electrical shock (danger cue), while the other circle represented a safety cue. During generalisation testing, online risk ratings, reaction times and fear-potentiated startle were measured in response to safety and danger cues as well as to eight generalisation stimuli, i.e. circles of parametrically varying size creating a continuum of similarity between the danger and safety cue. RESULTS: The increase in reaction times from the safety cue across the different generalisation classes to the danger cue was less pronounced in PTSD compared with HC. Moreover, PTSD participants expected higher risk of an aversive event independent of stimulus types and task. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in generalisation constitute one part of fear memory alterations in PTSD. Neither the accuracy of a risk judgement nor the strength of the induced fear was affected. Instead, processing times as an index of uncertainty during risk judgements suggested a reduced differentiation between safety and threat in PTSD.

Sexual Functioning After Childhood Abuse: The Influence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma Exposure.

BACKGROUND: Impairments in sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction are very common in women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA). A growing body of literature suggests a high prevalence of sexual distress in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the influence of sexual trauma exposure per se and the influence of PTSD symptoms on impairments in sexual functioning remain unclear. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sexual trauma exposure and PTSD on sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction by comparing 3 groups of women. METHODS: Women with PTSD after CSA (N = 32), women with a history of CSA and/or physical abuse but without PTSD (trauma controls [TC]; N = 32), and healthy women (N = 32) were compared with regards to self-reported sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. Trauma exposure was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and PTSD was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. OUTCOMES: Sexual functioning was assessed with the Sexual Experience and Behavior Questionnaire, and sexual satisfaction was assessed with the questionnaire Resources in Sexuality and Relationship. RESULTS: PTSD patients had significantly lower sexual functioning in some aspects of sexual experience (sexual aversion, sexual pain, and sexual satisfaction) but did not significantly differ in sexual arousal and orgasm from the other 2 groups. TC and healthy women did not significantly differ from each other on the measures of sexual functioning or sexual satisfaction. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: Results suggest that the development of PTSD has a greater impact on sexual functioning than does the experience of a traumatic event. This emphasizes the importance to address possible sexual distress and sexual satisfaction in women with PTSD by administering specific diagnostic instruments and by integrating specific interventions targeting sexual problems into a trauma-specific treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The study is the first comparing PTSD patients and TC with healthy women with regards to sexual functioning. Limitations are selection and size of the samples, the assessment of sexual functioning by self-report measures only, and lack of consideration of other potentially relevant factors influencing sexuality. The findings suggest that the experience of sexual abuse does not necessarily lead to sexual impairment, whereas comparably low levels of sexual functioning seem to be prominent in PTSD patients after CSA. Further research is needed on how to improve treatment for this patient group. Bornefeld-Ettmann P, Steil R, Lieberz KA, et al. Sexual Functioning After Childhood Abuse: The Influence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma Exposure. J Sex Med 2018;15:529-538.

Disorder- and Treatment-Specific Therapeutic Competence Scales for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Intervention: Development and Psychometric Properties.

Although the assessment of therapeutic competence in psychotherapy research is essential for examining its possible associations with treatment outcomes, it is often neglected due to high costs and a lack of valid instruments. This study aimed to develop two therapeutic competence scales that assess disorder-specific and treatment-specific therapeutic competence, and to examine these scales' psychometric properties along with those of the already established Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS) in a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sample. Using an inductive procedure, two rating scales for assessing disorder-specific and treatment-specific competence were constructed. The psychometric properties of these scales and those of the CTS were assessed in a sample of 30 videotaped sessions of eight patients from a multicenter study in which PTSD related to child abuse was treated using cognitive processing therapy. Two raters assessed therapeutic competence in 30 videotaped psychotherapy sessions. Interrater reliability, internal consistency, and content validity were determined. The scales (all items and total scores) demonstrated good to excellent interrater reliability, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) = .67 to .97, and internal consistency, Cronbach's α = .73 to .92. The PTSD experts' ratings confirmed good internal validity. We found statistically significant associations with therapeutic adherence, r = .62 to .85; p < .001; and therapeutic alliance, r = .47, p < .001. These preliminary data imply that the two newly developed competence scales and the CTS can be reliably used to assess different types of therapeutic competence in PTSD samples and may be useful as possible predictors of treatment outcomes.

Adherence Rating Scale for Cognitive Processing Therapy - Cognitive Only: Analysis of Psychometric Properties.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of therapeutic adherence is essential for accurately interpreting treatment outcomes in psychotherapy research. However, such assessments are often neglected. AIMS: To fill this gap, we aimed to develop and test a scale that assessed therapeutic adherence to Cognitive Processing Therapy - Cognitive Only (CPT), which was adapted for a treatment study targeting patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and co-occurring borderline personality symptoms. METHOD: Two independent, trained raters assessed 30 randomly selected treatment sessions involving seven therapists and eight patients who were treated in a multicentre randomized controlled trial. RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability for all items and the total score yielded good to excellent results (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.70 to 1.00). Cronbach's α was .56 for the adherence scale. Regarding content validity, three experts confirmed the relevance and appropriateness of each item. CONCLUSION: The adherence rating scale for the adapted version of CPT is a reliable instrument that can be helpful for interpreting treatment effects, analysing possible relationships between therapeutic adherence and treatment outcomes and teaching therapeutic skills.

[Cannabinoid Drugs in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders - Data from the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices]. / Cannabisarzneimittel in der Behandlung psychischer Störungen ­ Befunde aus der Cannabis-Begleiterhebung des Bundesinstituts für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte.

BACKGROUND: Since 2017 physicians in Germany can prescribe cannabis based medicines or medical cannabis with subsequent funding by the statutory health insurance system. METHODS: Physicians prescribing cannabinoid drugs were legally required to take part in a survey conducted by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. This study analyses data from 16.809 case reports that were collected from 30.3.2017 to 31.12.2021. RESULTS: There were 5582 cases documenting the use of cannabinoid drugs in psychiatric disorders. More than half of the prescriptions were Dronabinol. 80% of the treatments concerned somatoform disorders. Most of the treatments for other psychiatric disorders also targeted pain. Doctors reported a positive effect on symptoms in at least 75% of the cases. DISCUSSION: Most patients with psychiatric disorders received cannabinoid drugs for pain. The evidence from randomized controlled clinical trials for the use of cannabinoid drugs in psychiatric indications is weak.

A preliminary study on the effect of trauma-focused therapies on sexual dysfunctions in women with PTSD after childhood abuse.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often associated with female sexual dysfunctions (FSD). However, little is known about the impact of therapies for PTSD on FSD according to DSM-5 criteria. AIM/OBJECTIVE: To examine if sexual functioning diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria improves after treatment for PTSD in women with a PTSD diagnosis after interpersonal child abuse. METHOD: FSD according to DSM-5 criteria were assessed with the structured clinical interview SISEX in N = 152 female participants (mean age = 36.5 years) of a large randomized controlled trial three months into treatment and after 15 months of receiving either dialectical behavior therapy for PTSD or cognitive processing therapy. Number of fulfilled FSD criteria and diagnostic status were compared from pre-to post-treatment using Poisson and negative binomial regression analyses and the McNemar test. The effect of treatment type on reduction of FSD symptoms and the association between reduction in PTSD symptoms and reduction in FSD symptoms were assessed. RESULTS: From pre-to post-treatment, the number of fulfilled criteria for each FSD decreased (Incident rate ratios between 0.60 and 0.71, p between <. 001 and <0 .05). Less women met criteria for genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder at post-treatment compared to pre-treatment (11.8 % vs. 6.6 %, p < .05). No difference was found between treatments in reduction of FSD symptoms. Reduction of PTSD symptoms was associated with greater decrease in FSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a positive association between effective PTSD treatments and improvements in sexual functioning of women with PTSD after child abuse.

Long-term effects of dialectical behaviour therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder and cognitive processing therapy 9 months after treatment termination.

Background: The complexity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms related to childhood abuse (CA) present challenges for effective psychotherapeutic treatment. Consequently, there is great interest in the long-term effectiveness of psychological treatments for this population.Objective: This study aims to investigate the long-term outcomes of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for PTSD (DBT-PTSD) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) 9 months after treatment termination.Method: This is a long-term analysis from a randomised-controlled trial of DBT-PTSD versus CPT (registration number DRKS00005578). Initially, 193 individuals with CA-related PTSD were randomly allocated to receive either DBT-PTSD (n = 98) or CPT (n = 95). The primary outcome the Clinician-administered PTSD-Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) was administred at baseline, treatment completion (15 months post-randomization) and at the 9-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included self-reported PTSD severity (PCL-5), dissociation (DSS), severity of borderline symptoms (BSL-23), and psychosocial functioning (GAF).Results: No significant changes were observed in the primary (CAPS) and all other outcomes from post-intervention to 9-months follow-up in both the DBT-PTSD (CAPS: Mpost = 15.60, Mfollow-up = 14.93) and CPT group (CAPS: Mpost = 18.80, Mfollow-up = 17.41). Between-group analyses at 9-months follow-up were significantly in favour of DBT-PTSD compared to CPT with small to medium effect sizes on all outcomes ranging from d = 0.35 on the CAPS to d = 0.57 on the BSL-23 and GAF.Conclusions: Our results indicate that treatment effects of psychotherapy addressing complex presentations of PTSD persist 9 months after treatment termination. In addition, the superiority of DBT-PTSD as compared to CPT found at treatment termination, was confirmed at 9-months follow-up.Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00005578..

This study investigates the long-term effects of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (DBT-PTSD) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) on complex presentations of PTSD 9 months after treatment termination.In both treatment arms, treatment effects persisted over 9 months post-treatment termination across a wide range of outcomes.DBT-PTSD showed significant superiority over CPT at 9 months follow-up with differential effect sizes between d = 0.35 and d = 0.57.

Assessing complex PTSD and PTSD: validation of the German version of the International Trauma Interview (ITI).

Background: With the introduction of the ICD-11 into clinical practice, the reliable distinction between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) becomes paramount. The semi-structured clinician-administered International Trauma Interview (ITI) aims to close this gap in clinical and research settings.Objective: This study investigated the psychometric properties of the German version of the ITI among trauma-exposed clinical samples from Switzerland and Germany.Method: Participants were 143 civilian and 100 military participants, aged M = 40.3 years, of whom 53.5% were male. Indicators of reliability and validity (latent structure, internal reliability, inter-rater agreement, convergent and discriminant validity) were evaluated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and partial correlation analysis were conducted separately for civilian and military participants.Results: Prevalence of PTSD was 30% (civilian) and 33% (military) and prevalence of CPTSD was 53% (civilians) and 21% (military). Satisfactory internal consistency and inter-rater agreement were found. In the military sample, a parsimonious first-order six-factor model was preferred over a second-order two-factor CFA model of ITI PTSD and Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO). Model fit was excellent among military participants but no solution was supported among civilian participants. Overall, convergent validity was supported by positive correlations of ITI PTSD and DSO with DSM-5 PTSD. Discriminant validity for PTSD symptoms was confirmed among civilians but low in the military sample.Conclusions: The German ITI has shown potential as a clinician-administered diagnostic tool for assessing ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD in primary care. However, further exploration of its latent structure and discriminant validity are indicated.

This study validated the German International Trauma Interview (ITI), a semi-structured clinician-administered diagnostic interview for ICD-11 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Internal reliability, inter-rater agreement, latent structure, and convergent validity were explored in trauma-exposed clinical and military samples from five different in- and outpatient centres in Germany and German-speaking Switzerland.The findings supported the German ITI's reliability, inter-rater agreement, convergent validity and usefulness from a patient perspective. Future research should explore its factor structure and discriminant validity, for which differences between the samples were found.

Dialectical behaviour therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder after childhood sexual abuse in patients with and without borderline personality disorder: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with co-occurring severe psychopathology such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a frequent sequel of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). CSA-related PTSD has been effectively treated through cognitive-behavioural treatments, but it remains unclear whether success can be achieved in patients with co-occurring BPD. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of a newly developed modular treatment programme (DBT-PTSD) that combines principles of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and trauma-focused interventions. METHODS: Female patients (n = 74) with CSA-related PTSD were randomised to either a 12-week residential DBT-PTSD programme or a treatment-as-usual wait list. About half of the participants met the criteria for co-occurring BPD. Individuals with ongoing self-harm were not excluded. The primary outcomes were reduction of PTSD symptoms as assessed by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and by the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS). Hierarchical linear models were used to compare improvements across treatment groups. Assessments were carried out by blinded raters at admission, at end of treatment, and at 6 and 12 weeks post-treatment. RESULTS: Under DBT-PTSD the mean change was significantly greater than in the control group on both the CAPS (33.16 vs. 2.08) and the PDS (0.70 vs. 0.14). Between-group effect sizes were large and highly significant. Neither a diagnosis of BPD nor the severity or the number of BPD symptoms was significantly related to treatment outcome. Safety analyses indicated no increase in dysfunctional behaviours during the trial. CONCLUSION: DBT-PTSD is an efficacious treatment of CSA-related PTSD, even in the presence of severe co-occurring psychopathology such as BPD.

Sparse models for predicting psychosocial impairments in patients with PTSD: An empirical Bayes approach.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with psychosocial impairments, which represent a relevant focus for therapy. Previous results on the clinical predictors of these psychosocial impairments were inconsistent. The data analyzed in these contexts often suffer from a high number of correlated predictors and small sample sizes, entailing the risk of model overfitting. In Bayesian regression, the problem of overfitting can be mitigated by usage of specific zero-centered (regularizing) prior distributions. In this study, we used the 2 most common Bayesian regression models, the Bayesian Ridge and the Bayesian Lasso, to predict psychosocial impairments in 192 patients of a day clinic for the treatment of PTSD. METHOD: Predictions were based on specific dimensions of PTSD symptoms previously revealed by factor analyses, as well as posttraumatic cognitions, depressive symptoms, comorbid disorders, and demographics. The variance of the prior distribution was estimated through empirical Bayes (maximum marginal likelihood) and an approximation to the posterior distribution was obtained with stochastic variational inference and with a local approximation (Laplace approximation). RESULTS: Severe psychosocial impairments were mainly related to depressive symptoms and symptoms from the amnesia and numbing dimension of PTSD, while gender, posttraumatic cognitions, and reexperience and avoidance symptoms had no impact. As expected, the model coefficients were shrunken to zero when regularizing prior distributions were used, particularly for the Bayesian Lasso. CONCLUSION: Depressive and numbing symptoms are the main clinical correlates of psychosocial impairments in patients with PTSD. Usage of Bayesian and regularized regression can contribute to the generalizability and interpretability of research results. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Does treatment specific-, disorder specific- or general therapeutic competence predict symptom reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder?

Background: Literature on the association between therapist competence and treatment success in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments is scarce and results are mixed.Aims/Objective: The relationship between different types of therapeutic competence, therapeutic alliance, and PTSD symptom reduction in patients treated with Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for PTSD (DBT-PTSD) or Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) was assessed. Competence types were PTSD-specific competence, treatment specific competence, and general competence in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).Method: Videotaped therapy sessions from N = 160 women with PTSD and emotion regulation difficulties after child abuse participating in a large randomised controlled trial (Bohus et al., 2020) were rated. Three therapeutic competence-types were assessed using specifically developed rating scales. Alliance was assessed via patient ratings with the Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ). PTSD symptoms were assessed at pre- and post-treatment via clinician rating with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and via self-rating with the PTSD-Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).Results: No significant association between competence and clinician or self-rated PTSD symptoms was found. PTSD specific competence predicted clinician rated PTSD symptom severity on a trend level. Alliance predicted both clinician and self-rated PTSD symptom reduction.Conclusion: Our results provide a starting point for future research on different competence types and their association with PTSD treatment gains. Therapists were highly trained and received weekly supervision, hence a restricted competence range is a possible explanation for non-existing associations between competence and PTSD symptom reduction in our sample. More research in naturalistic settings, such as dissemination studies, is needed.

Three different types of therapeutic competence and their association to treatment gains in women with posttraumatic stress disorder after child abuse were assessed.Therapist competence was high in all three domains of competence.No association was found between any of the competence types and reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

The Affect Intolerance Scale (AIS), German version: A validation study in a student and clinical sample of patients with trauma-related disorders.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Affect Intolerance Scale (AIS) assesses two core concepts of emotion regulation: appraisals of negative emotions as threatening and proneness to emotional avoidance. Maladaptive emotion regulation is associated with various psychopathologies. We translated and validated the AIS in a German student and clinical sample of patients with trauma-related disorders. METHODS: 340 patients, 161 with post-traumatic stress disorder and 179 with adjustment disorder, and 322 students were enrolled. We employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in a cross-validation design to investigate construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and reliability. RESULTS: We replicated the originally described two-factor structure in both samples. Cronbach's α was 0.947 in the student and 0.950 in the clinical sample. AIS subscales showed moderate to high correlations with convergent and low correlations with discriminant measures. AIS total scores were significantly larger in the clinical sample, controlled for gender and age. LIMITATIONS: This study provides a unified cross-validation model in a clinical and a student sample at the cost of reduced sample sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The AIS is a valid measure of affect intolerance with the discriminative ability to distinguish between patients with trauma-related disorders and students. Test redundancy within both sub-constructs of the AIS might lead to biased estimates but allows for increased test precision, rendering the AIS a tool suitable for individual treatment monitoring.

Is adherence to dialectic behaviour therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cognitive processing therapy related to treatment outcome in PTSD after childhood abuse?

Background: Literature on the association between therapist adherence and treatment success in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is scarce, and the results are mixed.Objective: To examine the relationship between therapist adherence to dialectical behaviour therapy for PTSD (DBT-PTSD) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) on treatment outcome in women with PTSD and emotion regulation difficulties after interpersonal childhood abuse.Method: Videotaped therapy sessions from 160 female participants of a large randomized controlled trial [Bohus, M., Kleindienst, N., Hahn, C., Müller-Engelmann, M., Ludäscher, P., Steil, R., Fydrich, T., Kuehner, C., Resick, P. A., Stiglmayr, C., Schmahl, C., & Priebe, K. (2020). Dialectical behavior therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (DBT-PTSD) compared with cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in complex presentations of PTSD in women survivors of childhood abuse. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(12), 1235. jamapsychiatry.2020.2148] were rated. Adherence to CPT and DBT-PTSD was assessed using two specifically developed rating scales.Results: Higher therapist adherence was associated with a greater reduction of clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity. This effect was more pronounced in the CPT group than in the DBT-PTSD group. Adherence was also related to a greater reduction of self-rated PTSD symptoms, borderline symptoms, and dissociation intensity.Conclusion: Our results indicate that higher therapist adherence can lead to better treatment outcomes in PTSD treatments, especially in CPT.

Higher therapist adherence to cognitive processing therapy was associated with higher treatment gains in women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childhood abuse.Adherence was related to higher reductions in symptom severity of PTSD, borderline symptoms, and dissociation intensity.Adherence to dialectical behaviour therapy for PTSD did not show a strong association with treatment outcome.

[Psychological treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder after sexual abuse: an overview]. / Psychotherapie der Posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung nach sexuellem Missbrauch: Ein Überblick über die Datenlage.

There is an ongoing debate how to treat posttraumatic stress disorder related to childhood sexual abuse. In Germany patients mostly receive a psychodynamically oriented treatment with a long-lasting stabilization before the use of exposure-based interventions. The number of randomized controlled trials on posttraumatic stress disorder related to childhood sexual abuse is quite limited. The results of these studies show that cognitive-behavioral trauma-focussing interventions are very efficacious with large effect sizes. 2 controlled studies on psychodynamically oriented treatment found only small improvements in posttraumatic symptoms. The high dropout rates in prolonged exposure especially in patients with co-occurring personality disorders point towards the need of a emotion regulation training before the exposure phase. Future studies should include subgroup-analyses and the assessment of adverse effects during therapy.