Depression Suppresses Treatment Response for Traumatic Loss –Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Active Duty Military Personnel

This study examined the association between having traumatic loss–related PTSD and treatment response to cognitive processing therapy in active duty military personnel. Participants included 213 activ e duty service members recruited across two randomized clinical trials. Results showed that service members with primary traumatic loss–related PTSD (n = 44) recovered less from depressive symptoms than those who reported different primary traumatic events (n = 169),B = −4.40. Tests of mediation found that less depression recovery suppressed recovery from PTSD symptoms in individuals with traumatic loss–related PTSD,B = 3.75. These findings suggest that evidence ‐based treatments for PTSD should better accommodate loss and grief in military populations.

Source: Journal of Traumatic Stress - August 27, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Vanessa M. Jacoby, Willie Hale, Kirsten Dillon, Katherine A. Dondanville, Jennifer Schuster Wachen, Jeffrey S. Yarvis, Brett T. Litz, Jim Mintz, Stacey Young ‐McCaughan, Alan L. Peterson, Patricia A. Resick, for the STRONG STAR Consortium Tags: Research Article Source Type: research