Cognitive Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Cognitive therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder is in the early stages of development and study. This article will examine seven controlled studies that included at least a component of cognitive therapy. Two studies specifically focused on early intervention to treat PTSD and included both cognitive therapy and exposure therapy. Three studies examined cognitive processing therapy, which is predominantly cognitive therapy. Two other studies compared pure cognitive therapy with exposure therapy. Overall, cognitive therapy for PTSD appears to be highly effective compared to no-treatment, relaxation, or supportive counseling, and similar to exposure treatments. Treatment effects appear to continue through follow-up periods of up to one year. At this point, little is known about who benefits best with cognitive therapy or predictors of treatment outcome.