Variants of exposure-based therapy have been found to be effective in ameliorating childhood abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CA-PTSD). This study aims to investigate whether three...Show moreVariants of exposure-based therapy have been found to be effective in ameliorating childhood abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CA-PTSD). This study aims to investigate whether three variants of Prolonged Exposure (PE) improve comorbid depressive symptoms, suicidality and personality disorders amongst patients with CA-PTSD. Data from the IMPACT study was used, which included 149 participants who were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: PE, intensified PE (iPE) or Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation followed by PE (STAIR+PE). Participants were assessed at multiple time points ranging from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Linear mixed effect models were utilized to test the effect of treatment on depressive symptoms, suicide risk, personality disorder symptom severity and the prevalence of diagnosed personality disorders. Such models were then extended to test whether the three variants of PE differed in their treatment effects. The findings demonstrated that treatment led to large improvements in depressive symptoms and suicide risk from baseline assessment to 12-month follow-up. Moreover, personality disorder symptom severity and the prevalence of diagnosed personality disorders significantly declined between baseline and 6-month follow-up. It was found that PE, iPE and STAIR+PE did not differ in their treatment effects, implying that deviations from the original PE protocol do not lead to superior treatment outcomes. In conclusion, variants of exposure- based therapy lead to sustained improvements in comorbid psychopathologies amongst patients with CA-PTSD.Show less
