Does Psychosocial Functioning Improve With Prolonged Exposure in Veterans With PTSD?: Exploring Traditional and Home-Based Telehealth Delivery Methods

Abstract

The current study explored whether prolonged exposure (PE), delivered in person or via home-based telehealth, had a therapeutic effect on psychosocial functioning in combat Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effects of home-based telehealth on these metrics were also evaluated. In addition, we examined whether race, type of war conflict, and service-connected disability rating moderated the effect of PE on psychosocial functioning and whether PTSD, anxiety, and/or depression mediated the effect of PE on psychosocial functioning. We did not find moderating or mediating effects in our study. Improvements in PTSD, depression, and anxiety were associated with improvements in psychosocial functioning. We did not identify statistically significant differences in scores representing change in overall and each domain of psychosocial functioning between groups. Within-group analysis indicated psychosocial functioning improved in both groups but was mostly not statistically significant. However, some clinically relevant improvement may have occurred. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59 (2), 31–40.]

An Open Pilot Trial of Written Exposure Therapy for Patients With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Korea

“…Improvements in PTSD with exposure therapy were associated with improvements in psychosocial functioning. 34,35 Therefore, the reduction of PTSD symptoms through WET was expected to improve general functioning. Previous research has not reported on the improvement of functioning through WET; therefore, it is significant that the improvement of general functioning after WET was identified in this study.…”