Examining the effectiveness of an intensive, 2-week treatment program for military personnel and veterans with PTSD: Results of a pilot, open-label, prospective cohort trial

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when administered on a daily basis during a 2-week period of time.

Method: In an open-label, prospective cohort pilot trial, 20 U.S. military personnel and veterans diagnosed with PTSD or subthreshold PTSD participated in 12 daily sessions of CPT. Primary outcomes included Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 scores. Secondary outcomes included Patient Health Questionnaire-8 and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI) scores. Interviews and self-report scales were completed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6 months after the treatment.

Results: Relative to baseline, PTSD symptom severity and rates of PTSD diagnosis were significantly reduced at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up. Depression symptom severity did not significantly improve, but suicide ideation significantly decreased at 6-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Daily administration of CPT is associated with significant reductions in PTSD and suicide ideation.