Prolonged Exposure for PTSD in a Veteran group: A pilot effectiveness study

• We examined a group and individual hybrid treatment that was developed based on PE principles.
• Significant reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms were found in both completers and intent-to-treat sample analyses.
• Results from this study indicate that this treatment protocol constitutes an efficient and effective way to deliver PE in Veterans.
• The protocol developed minimally modified the traditional PE protocol, to ensure that clinicians trained in PE could implement the protocol easily and effectively.

Previous research has consistently demonstrated that Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traditionally, PE has been studied and delivered on an individual basis. However, the growing number of Veterans in need of PTSD treatment has led to increased interest in group therapies as an efficient way to provide access to care. The current study examined a group and individual hybrid treatment that was developed based on PE principles. Treatment was 12 weeks in length and consisted of 12 one-hour group sessions focused on in vivo exposures, and an average of approximately five-hour long individual imaginal exposure sessions. Data for this study were derived from 67 veterans who participated in 12 cohorts of the Group PE. Significant reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms were found in both completers and intent-to-treat sample analyses. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.