Therapies for specific symptoms and populations

Psychotherapies for specific symptoms and populations include therapies for people with complex PTSD, for children, for people with co-occurring substance use, for veterans, and other groups. Click on the tabs below to access all the information, or browse via the drop-down menu on the left.

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Therapies for adults with a history of childhood abuse

What is psychotherapy for PTSD in people with a history of childhood abuse? Adult survivors of childhood abuse tend to have more symptom complexity than other adults with PTSD. This complexity includes emotion dysregulation, interpersonal problems, impulsive and/or self-destructive behaviour, high levels of dissociation, substance-related problems, and unexplained physical symptoms. For PTSD in general, the best evidence currently exists for trauma-focussed treatments such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). These interventions involve processing the memory of the trauma and its meaning based on theoretical models that emphasise the role of memory processes…

Therapies for children and adolescents

What is psychotherapy for PTSD in children and adolescents? Traumatic events are highly prevalent in childhood and adolescence. PTSD is often chronic and has immense personal and social costs, and the prognosis for recovery without adequate treatment is poor. Therefore, early and effective treatment is important. What is the evidence for psychotherapy for PTSD in children and adolescents? Moderate quality evidence found a large improvement in PTSD symptoms with psychological treatments by the end of treatment, and a medium-sized improvement by six months post-treatment when compared to untreated or waitlist controls. Compared to treatment as usual or active controls, there…

Therapies for complex PTSD

What is psychotherapy for complex PTSD? Complex PTSD can arise from chronic violence or abuse. It includes the core symptoms of PTSD plus disturbances in self organisation, affect dysregulation, negative self-concept, and relationships. People with complex PTSD may also show high levels of depression, psychological distress, dissociation, and substance misuse. What is the evidence for psychotherapy for complex PTSD? Moderate to low quality evidence found large improvements in PTSD symptoms after psychological treatments in women with a history of childhood abuse. The effect was medium sized in women with complex PTSD and large in women with non-complex PTSD when compared…

Substance use

Therapies for dual diagnosis

What is psychotherapy for dual diagnosis? Dual diagnosis describes a condition when a person with both a mental health diagnosis such as PTSD and a substance use disorder. This comorbidity is associated with poorer treatment outcomes than for either condition alone. Several psychological therapies are successful at treating each disorder individually, however when occurring together, they may be harder to treat. What is the evidence for psychotherapy for dual diagnosis? Moderate to low quality evidence found a small improvement in PTSD symptoms in people with a dual diagnosis following individual psychological treatments that have a trauma focus when compared to…

PTSD in low and middle income countries

Therapies for people living in low- and middle-income countries

What is psychotherapy for PTSD in low- and middle-income countries? Many people living in low- or middle-income countries are exposed to adversities, such as conflict and war. In developing countries, most people with PTSD do not receive adequate care. This is due to insufficient mental health services and challenges in implementing evidence-based interventions. Non-specialist health workers and other professionals such as teachers have an important role in delivering mental health care in these settings. What is the evidence on effectiveness of psychotherapy for PTSD in low- and middle-income countries? Moderate to low quality evidence found large improvements in PTSD symptoms,…

Therapies for prevention of PTSD

What is psychotherapy for the prevention of PTSD? Early intervention models suggest psychological interventions given to an individual exposed to a traumatic event may prevent the onset of trauma-related symptoms. Cognitive therapies are based on the theory that an individual’s perception of a situation influences his or her emotional response to it. They aim to help people identify distorted thinking and to modify existing beliefs. Cognitive processing therapy is a type of cognitive therapy that involves psychoeducation, written accounts about the traumatic event, and cognitive restructuring to address beliefs about the event’s meaning and its implications. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)…

Psychotherapy for refugees and asylum seekers with PTSD

Therapies for refugees and asylum seekers

What is psychotherapy for PTSD in refugees and asylum seekers? Over the past two decades, the number of forcibly displaced migrants has grown due to ongoing conflicts in countries around the world. Compared to the general population, refugees experience considerably higher levels of psychological distress due to major losses and exposure to events such as torture and war. Post-displacement stressors are also apparent, including those associated with resettlement, language barriers, and perceived stigma and discrimination. Any of these trauma exposures can contribute to higher rates of mental health conditions, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. What is the evidence on psychotherapy…

Soldiers and veterans and PTSD

Therapies for soldiers and veterans

What is psychotherapy for PTSD in soldiers and veterans? Soldiers and veterans have exposure to life threatening stressors, including combat, injury, and witnessing suffering and death. These traumatic combat experiences are often less straightforward than single traumatic events, and may decrease PTSD treatment effectiveness. Interventions that may be effective for PTSD in soldiers and veterans include eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, cognitive restructuring therapy, cognitive processing therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, and stress management. What is the evidence on psychotherapy for PTSD symptoms in soldiers and veterans? Moderate to low quality evidence found large improvements in…

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