Individual PE vs Couples' CBT for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Individual Prolonged Exposure (PE) Versus Couples' Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

This study seeks to enroll 76 couples in which one of the members is a combat-veteran with PTSD. Each couple will be randomized into one of two cognitive-behavioral therapies developed specifically as a treatment for PTSD-either Prolonged Exposure (PE) [1-4] or Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT) [5-7]. Whereas, PE was developed as a one-on-one therapy that focuses on treating the individual, CBCT for PTSD incorporates the partners into therapy and seeks to directly address relationship functioning while treating the PTSD symptomatology. Both partners in each couple will complete a battery of several assessments measuring various aspects of psychological distress (e.g., depression, PTSD) and relationship functioning at five time-points throughout the study. But, only the partners assigned to the CBCT group will be involved in the actual therapy sessions. Analysis will be carried out to identify whether any significant differences exist between PE and CBCT in treating PTSD and improving relationship functioning.

The purpose of the proposed study is to examine the effects of Cognitive-Behavioral treatments for PTSD on PTSD symptoms and relationship functioning in active duty military personnel who have recently returned from combat deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), or Operation New Dawn (OND) and their partners. Research indicates that PTSD is associated with high levels of relationship distress [8-12]. We will compare a treatment specifically designed to incorporate partners, Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT), with an established therapy that focuses on treatment of the individual, Prolonged Exposure (PE). CBCT includes techniques designed both to promote support for the traumatized individual and reduce relationship distress; whereas, PE focuses solely on PTSD symptoms and treats only the patient with PTSD. Therefore, we expect to see greater improvement in intimate relationship functioning with CBCT than with PE, while remaining equally effective in reducing PTSD symptomatology. Our specific hypotheses are as follows:

1. Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) will be equally effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in a sample of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans, as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the PTSD Checklist - Stressor Specific Version (PCL-S).
2. CBCT for PTSD will be more effective than PE in improving relationship distress in a sample of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and their partners, as measured by the Couples Satisfaction Index.
3. CBCT for PTSD will have significantly greater impact than PE on measures of relationship functioning (e.g., intimacy, conflict, aggression) in a sample of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and their partners.

Inclusion Criteria:

• • Married or cohabitating couples who have been together the past 3 months in which one partner is an OEF/OIF/OND veteran with PTSD. Diagnosis of PTSD will be determined by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5). The veteran with PTSD must have experienced a Criterion A event that is a specific combat-related event or high magnitude operational experience that occurred during a military deployment in support of OIF/OEF/OND. The diagnosis of PTSD may be indexed to that event or to another Criterion A event.

  • Both individuals must be willing to make a commitment to treatment as prescribed by their randomization in this study.
  • Speak and read English.
  • Be stable for at least 6 weeks on any psychotropic medications either partner may be taking. This criterion is established in order to minimize the likelihood that significant outcome effects may be attributed to changes in psychotropic medications rather than to the treatment protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

• • Evidence or admission of severe intimate aggression as indicated by a "yes" endorsement to the one-question screen for severe violence items by either member of the couple occurring within the past 6-months.

  • Partner with PTSD symptoms on the Life Events Checklist (LEC), Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory (DRRI) subscales (if active duty and is a Veteran of deployment), and PTSD CheckList - Stressor Specific (PCL-S) warranting primary treatment for him or herself.
  • Recent initiation of other treatment (i.e., drug/alcohol treatment) or an identified immediate need for other treatment (i.e., severe suicide risk, current alcohol dependence).
  • Current suicidal ideation severe enough to warrant immediate attention (as determined by the Scale for Suicidal Ideation)
  • Alcohol dependence as assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).
  • Any severe cognitive impairment that precludes retention of session content across sessions or an ongoing psychotic or bipolar disorder.