Written Exposure Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome

A Feasibility Study for Written Exposure Therapy for Patients With Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in a Regular Health Care Setting

To investigate if written exposure therapy is feasible for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder

A non-inferiority trial in JAMA Psychiatry showed that written exposure therapy (WET) was non-inferior to a gold standard CBT treatment. In comparison to other trauma-focused CBT protocols, WET generally demands less therapist-time, and specifically, less than half compared to CBT that consists of 12 weekly sessions á 60 minutes. The aim of this study is to translate and replicate these results in a Swedish context. This first step is a small feasibility trial which will guide a subsequent large-scale trial.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meet criteria for PTSD.
• If taking psychotropic medication, then the dose must be stable for at least 4 weeks prior to study entry.
• ≥ 18 years
• Situated in Sweden
• Be able to express themselves in Swedish, both in verbally and written form.
• Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other serious comorbidity as primary concern (ongoing substance dependence, untreated bipolar disorder, psychotic symptoms, severe depression, borderline personality disorder, high suicidal risk according to the MINI)
• Ongoing CBT for trauma
• Ongoing trauma-related threat (e.g. living with a violent spouse)