Long-term follow-up of a randomised controlled trial of prolonged exposure therapy and supportive counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescents: a task-shifted intervention.

Background: Empirical evidence on the longer-term effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in low-resource settings is needed. The aim of the study was to evaluate the maintenance of treatment gains achieved in a comparative study of effectiveness of prolonged exposure therapy for adolescents (PE-A) and supportive counselling (SC) in adolescents with PTSD up to 24-months post-treatment.

Method: Sixty-three adolescents (13-18 years) with PTSD were randomly assigned to receive either of the interventions comprising 7-14 sessions of treatment provided by trained and supervised non-specialist health workers (NSHWs).

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Peritraumatic and Posttraumatic Emotions Questionnaires Among Active Duty Military Personnel With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

The Peritraumatic Emotions Questionnaire (Peri-TEQ) and Posttraumatic Emotions Questionnaire (Post-TEQ) are self-report measures of emotions experienced during and after a traumatic event, respectively. The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Peri- and Post-TEQ were investigated among 474 military personnel with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following deployment. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to test the factor structure of the scales.

Prolonged exposure therapy and supportive counselling for posttraumatic stress disorder in adolescents in a community-based sample, including experiences of stakeholders: study protocol for a comparative randomized controlled trial using task-shifting.

Background: There is a dearth of empirical evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in developing countries. The primary aim of the study is to examine the effects of prolonged exposure therapy compared with supportive counseling for adolescents with PTSD delivered by nurses trained as counselors.

Methods/design: A single-blind randomized clinical trial comprising 90 adolescents with PTSD using a permuted block design will be utilized.

Prolonged exposure therapy and supportive counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescents: task-shifting randomised controlled trial.

Background: Empirical evidence on the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in low-resource settings is needed.AimsTo evaluate the comparative effectiveness of prolonged exposure and supportive counselling in adolescents with PTSD.

Method: Sixty-three adolescents (13-18 years) with PTSD were randomly assigned to receive either of the interventions comprising 7-14 sessions of treatment (trial registration in the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry: PACTR201511001345372).

Adolescent and nurse perspectives of psychotherapeutic interventions for PTSD delivered through task-shifting in a low resource setting.

Background: This investigation compared the perceived effectiveness of supportive counselling (SC) and prolonged exposure for adolescents (PE-A) by treatment users (adolescents with PTSD) and non-specialist treatment providers (supervised nurses).

Method: Adolescent participants and nurse providers were purposively recruited to share their experiences of trial participation through face to face semi-structured in-depth interviews and treatment-specific focus groups (all recorded). Twelve adolescent participant transcripts (ten interviews and two focus groups) and three nurse provider transcripts were doubly transcribed.

Adolescents' Experience of Stigma When Accessing School-Based PTSD Interventions.

This qualitative investigation, nested within a randomized controlled trial (RCT), describes the experiences of adolescent participants accessing psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a school-based setting. Supervised nurses provided the psychotherapeutic interventions. Twelve participants who took part in the RCT were invited, and 10 agreed to share their experiences through recorded face-to-face, semistructured, in-depth interviews and treatment-specific focus groups.

Impediments and catalysts to task-shifting psychotherapeutic interventions for adolescents with PTSD: perspectives of multi-stakeholders.

Background: This qualitative study was nested within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) where two psychotherapeutic interventions (supportive counselling and prolonged exposure for adolescents) were provided by supervised nurses (who served as 'nurse counsellors') to adolescents with PTSD in school settings. This paper describes the perspectives of nurse counsellors (NCs) and school liaisons (SLs). SLs were teachers or administrative personnel at the schools who coordinated the study visits of participants with the NCs.

Treatment of Adolescent PTSD: The Impact of Prolonged Exposure Versus Client-Centered Therapy on Co-Occurring Emotional and Behavioral Problems.

The present study evaluated secondary emotional and behavioral outcomes among adolescents who received prolonged exposure (PE-A) or client-centered therapy (CCT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a randomized controlled trial. Participants were 61 adolescent girls (age: M = 15.33, SD = 1.

A pilot and feasibility randomised controlled study of Prolonged Exposure Treatment and supportive counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescents: a third world, task-shifting, community-based sample.

Background: There is a dearth of empirical evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments for adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in developing country settings. The primary aim of this study was to demonstrate that Prolonged Exposure Treatment for Adolescents (PE-A) and supportive counselling (SC) are implementable by nurses in a South African context. A secondary aim was to perform a preliminary analysis of the effectiveness of registered nurses delivering either PE-A or SC treatment to adolescents with PTSD.

Single unit activity in the lateral septum and central nucleus of the amygdala in the elevated plus-maze: a model of exposure therapy?

The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a major output region of the amygdala involved in organizing the expression of fear. There is also evidence that the lateral septum (LS) provides inhibitory control of neurons in CeA and is involved in the relief of fear. This study examined single unit activity in the lateral septum (LS) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in the open and closed arms of the elevated plus-maze, a highly validated animal model of fear and anxiety.

Characteristics of individuals seeking treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Despite severe functional impairment, only 35% to 40% of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) seek treatment, and fewer than 10% receive evidence-based treatment. The current study examined the characteristics of 525 individuals who contacted the clinic of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania to inquire about OCD treatment and completed a phone screen. Callers who were deemed appropriate for the clinic (n=396, 75%) were invited to participate in an in-person intake evaluation.

Common Pitfalls in Exposure and Response Prevention (EX/RP) for OCD.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly debilitating disorder. Fortunately there are treatments that help the majority of OCD sufferers. The behavioral treatment with the most empirical support for its efficacy is exposure and response prevention (EX/RP).

Electrophysiological analysis of the interaction between the lateral septum and the central nucleus of the amygdala.

Evidence suggests that the lateral septum (LS) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) play opposing roles in the modulation of fear and anxiety. The current study examined the interaction of the two structures in the albino rat by electrically stimulating each and recording single-unit activity in the other. In each case, electrical stimulation consisted of 50 trains of 5 pulses 800μA in amplitude, 0.

Prolonged exposure versus dynamic therapy for adolescent PTSD: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To examine the efficacy and maintenance of developmentally adapted prolonged exposure therapy for adolescents (PE-A) compared with active control time-limited dynamic therapy (TLDP-A) for decreasing posttraumatic and depressive symptoms in adolescent victims of single-event traumas.

Method: Thirty-eight adolescents (12 to 18 years old) were randomly assigned to receive PE-A or TLDP-A.

Results: Both treatments resulted in decreased posttraumatic stress disorder and depression and increased functioning.

Changes in reported physical health symptoms and social function with prolonged exposure therapy for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with significant health risk, illness, and functional impairment, e.g., Green and Kimerling [2004: Physical Health Consequences of Exposure to Extreme Stress.

The OCI-R: validation of the subscales in a clinical sample.

The psychometric properties of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) subscales have not been validated in a clinical sample of individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Data were collected on 186 patients diagnosed with OCD and 17 patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) using the OCI-R and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed an acceptable factor structure.

Randomized trial of prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder with and without cognitive restructuring: outcome at academic and community clinics.

Female assault survivors (N=171) with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to prolonged exposure (PE) alone, PE plus cognitive restructuring (PE/CR), or wait-list (WL). Treatment, which consisted of 9-12 sessions, was conducted at an academic treatment center or at a community clinic for rape survivors. Evaluations were conducted before and after therapy and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups.

Effects of chlordiazepoxide on single-unit activity in the septal region of the freely moving rat: aversive vs. non-aversive contexts.

Evidence suggests that stimuli that have the property of inhibiting fear in a Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm increase cellular activity in the lateral septum, a result consistent with the idea that the lateral septum is actively involved in the inhibition of fear. The experiments reported here were designed to determine if an anxiolytic drug with fear-inhibiting properties would also increase neuronal activity in the lateral septum in a manner that might relate to its mechanism of action as an anxiolytic. An experiment was performed to compare the effects of the benzodiazepine anxiolytic chlordiazepoxide (CDP) upon single-unit activity in the septal region of the rat brain during Pavlovian aversive conditioning with the effects of CDP in a non-aversive context.