Brief, early treatment for ASD/PTSD following motor vehicle accidents

Early, brief interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) secondary to motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) have historically been, with few exceptions, unsuccessful with single session or even very brief (3 to 6 sessions) interventions. In contrast, very intensive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) applied over the first 6 to 8 weeks posttrauma has been found to be very effective in treating acute stress disorder. CBT has also been found to be very effective in treating chronic PTSD from MVAs in controlled studies. Drawing from that experience, a brief CBT therapy was given to 3 individuals who had developed ASD or subsyndromal ASD following an MVA. Results support that, for at least some individuals, a brief intervention may be effective. Benefits in terms of less time for therapist and MVA survivor, use of handouts, self-directed care, and telephone intervention were discussed. Although still in continuing development, this style of intervention appears to offer promise as an effective early treatment option for some individuals with PTSD. The need for larger scale, controlled studies is noted.