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High rates of PTSD treatment dropout: A possible red herring?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Szafranski, DD; Smith, BN; Gros, DF; Resick, PA
Published in: J Anxiety Disord
April 2017

Few studies have examined symptom change among dropouts from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. However, dropout is widely considered a negative event needing to be addressed. The present study investigated PTSD and depression symptom change in patients with PTSD who discontinued psychotherapy. Female civilians (n=321) diagnosed with PTSD participated in two randomized clinical trials examining PTSD treatment outcomes. Of those, 53 were identified as dropouts and included in this study. Symptom change was assessed by clinically significant change (CSC) criteria and symptom end-state criteria. Results demonstrated that considerable proportions of participants (35.85-55.56%) displayed significant improvement and/or met good end-state criteria for PTSD and depression. Results also revealed that participants who displayed symptom improvement were younger, attended more treatment sessions, were married or partnered, and had higher annual household income. Although preliminary, these findings contradict belief that treatment dropouts do not display symptom improvement.

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Published In

J Anxiety Disord

DOI

EISSN

1873-7897

Publication Date

April 2017

Volume

47

Start / End Page

91 / 98

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Psychotherapy
  • Patient Dropouts
  • Middle Aged
  • Marital Status
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depression
 

Citation

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Szafranski, D. D., Smith, B. N., Gros, D. F., & Resick, P. A. (2017). High rates of PTSD treatment dropout: A possible red herring? J Anxiety Disord, 47, 91–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.01.002
Szafranski, Derek D., Brian N. Smith, Daniel F. Gros, and Patricia A. Resick. “High rates of PTSD treatment dropout: A possible red herring?J Anxiety Disord 47 (April 2017): 91–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.01.002.
Szafranski DD, Smith BN, Gros DF, Resick PA. High rates of PTSD treatment dropout: A possible red herring? J Anxiety Disord. 2017 Apr;47:91–8.
Szafranski, Derek D., et al. “High rates of PTSD treatment dropout: A possible red herring?J Anxiety Disord, vol. 47, Apr. 2017, pp. 91–98. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.01.002.
Szafranski DD, Smith BN, Gros DF, Resick PA. High rates of PTSD treatment dropout: A possible red herring? J Anxiety Disord. 2017 Apr;47:91–98.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Anxiety Disord

DOI

EISSN

1873-7897

Publication Date

April 2017

Volume

47

Start / End Page

91 / 98

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Psychotherapy
  • Patient Dropouts
  • Middle Aged
  • Marital Status
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depression