A review of selected psychotherapies for PTSD, their efficacy and treatment guidelines in adults

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based on material published in Psychiatria Polska and is available as an open-access article. Around 2.5 percent of Poles will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetime. Recent events, i.e., the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, are the factors that will increase the number of people dealing with PTSD. Owing to that, this paper aims to review and familiarise readers with the available scientific evidence on psychotherapies of PTSD provided in Poland. A review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and a review of the most recent treatment guidelines concerning PTSD. The best available evidence points to the high efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with prolonged exposure and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Humanistic therapy also proves effective to a certain degree, but not as effective as therapies that use exposure to stimuli and memories associated with trauma. There is no evidence of the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy and methods based on polyvagal theory. Organizations preparing guidelines recommend primarily CBT and EMDR. Efficacious treatment of PTSD should include a protocol with a component of exposure to trauma-related memories and stimuli. It is recommended to use such therapies in the psychotherapeutic treatment of PTSD. This course on psychotherapies used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced-level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of psychotherapies used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder. The course material includes a literature review of interventions. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading, and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Kowalski, Elzanowski, Sliwerski Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding psychotherapies used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder. Specifically, a professional will: Identify diagnostic criteria of posttraumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder. Describe the characteristics and efficacies of different psychotherapies used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder. Recognize strategies to improve the efficacy of psychotherapy treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Citation: Kowalski, J., Elzanowski, A., & Sliwerski, A. (2023). A review of selected psychotherapies for PTSD, their efficacy and treatment guidelines in adults. Przeglad wybranych psychoterapii PTSD, ich skutecznosci i zalecen terapeutycznych w terapii osób doroslych. Psychiatria polska, 1-11. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/157105