Trauma BPE Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Injured Individuals Admitted to a Level I Trauma Center

Prevention of Posttraumatic Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Brief Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Injured Individuals Admitted to a Level I Trauma Center

The purpose of this research is to determine if a brief treatment method is effective for preventing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a number of other concerns following injury.

This is a prospective randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of brief Prolonged Exposure Therapy (Brief PE) delivered to individuals admitted to a Level I Trauma Center to reduce PTSD symptoms. The overall goal of this project is to test a Brief PE (three 60-minute sessions) to reduce psychological distress after injury and to mitigate long-term post-injury distress including PTSD as well as secondary health outcomes (including depression, general anxiety, pain, and quality of life) at 1, 3, and 6 months from baseline. The intervention group (Brief PE) will be compared to standard clinical care with treatment as usual (TAU).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between the ages of 18 and 75 years old.
• Admitted to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas (BUMC), Baylor Scott & White Medical Center at Temple (BSWMC), or Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin (FH/MCW) Level 1 Trauma Center

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients in police custody
• Patients not fluent in English
• Patients with severe cognitive impairment
• Patients who are acutely suicidal
• Patients with active psychosis