Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy (CBCT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has demonstrated efficacy for improving PTSD and comorbid symptoms and relationship adjustment. To enhance treatment efficiency and scalability, we developed a 2-day, abbreviated, intensive, multicouple group version of CBCT for PTSD (AIM-CBCT for PTSD). Prior work demonstrated that AIM-CBCT for PTSD was associated with reductions in PTSD and comorbid symptoms in a sample of 24 post-9/11 active duty military or veteran couples who received the treatment in a retreat format over a single weekend. The current study investigated secondary outcomes regarding trauma-related cognitions, psychosocial impairment, and insomnia. For trauma-related cognitions, reductions were nonsignificant and small at 1-month follow-up, ds = -0.14 to -0.32. However, by 3-month follow-up, there were significant, medium effect size reductions in total trauma-related cognitions, d = -0.68, and negative views of self and others, ds = -0.64 and -0.57, respectively, relative to baseline. There was also a nonsignificant, small-to-medium effect-size reduction in self-blame, d = -0.43, p = .053, by 3-month follow-up. For psychosocial impairment, there were significant and medium-to-large and large effect size reductions by 1- and 3-month follow-ups, ds = -0.73 and -0.81, respectively. There were nonsignificant, small effect size reductions in insomnia at both 1- and 3-month follow-ups relative to baseline, ds = -0.30 and -0.34, respectively. These findings suggest that AIM-CBCT for PTSD is associated with reductions in maladaptive posttraumatic cognitions and psychosocial impairment but that adjunctive interventions may be needed to address insomnia.
Secondary individual outcomes following multi-couple group therapy for PTSD: An uncontrolled pilot study with military dyads
November 20, 2021
Journal of Traumatic Stress, 35(1), 321-329.
Macdonald, A., Fredman, S. J., Taylor, D. J., Pruiksma, K. E., Blount, T. H., Hall-Clark, B. N., Fina, B. A., Dondanville, K. A., Mintz, J., Litz, B. T., Young-McCaughan, S ., Le, Y., Jenkins, A. I. C., Monson, C. M., Yarvis, J. S., Keane, T. M., & Peterson, A. L., for the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22729
Cite this manuscript (APA reference)
Macdonald, A., Fredman, S. J., Taylor, D. J., Pruiksma, K. E., Blount, T. H., Hall-Clark, B. N., Fina, B. A., Dondanville, K. A., Mintz, J., Litz, B. T., Young-McCaughan, S ., Le, Y., Jenkins, A. I. C., Monson, C. M., Yarvis, J. S., Keane, T. M., & Peterson, A. L., for the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD. (2021). Secondary individual outcomes following multi-couple group therapy for PTSD: An uncontrolled pilot study with military dyads. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 35(1), 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22729