PSYCHOSOCIAL TREATMENT OF POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER

A review of the psychosocial treatment research literature indicates t hat several forms of therapy appear to be useful in reducing the sympt oms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Strongest support is foun d for the treatments that combine cognitive and behavioral techniques. Hypnosis, psychodynamic, anxiety management and group therapies may a lso produce short-term symptom reduction. Still unknown is whether any approach produces lasting effects. Imaginal exposure to trauma memori es and hypnosis are techniques most likely to affect the intrusive sym ptoms of PTSD, whereas cognitive and psychodynamic approaches may bett er address the numbing and avoidance symptom cluster: Treatment should be tailored to tbe severity and type of presenting PTSD symptoms, to the type of trauma experience, and to the many likely comorbid diagnos es and adjustment problems. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.