Effects of venlafaxine extended release on resilience in posttraumatic stress disorder: an item analysis of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale.

The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of venlafaxine extended release (ER) on characteristics of resilience, measured by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data were evaluated from a randomized, 6-month, international, multicenter study of adult outpatients with a primary diagnosis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition PTSD for >or=6 months, and 17-item Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale score >or=60. Patients were assigned randomly to treatment with flexible-dose venlafaxine ER (37.5-300 mg/day) or placebo. Changes from baseline scores and effect sizes of response to treatment with venlafaxine ER compared with placebo were computed for each item, as well as for the newly developed 2-item and 10-item subscales. Effect sizes across items ranged from 0.41 (moderate) to 0.08 (very weak). The effect size for the Resilience Scale-2 (2-item subscale) was 0.32, which was comparable to the effect sizes of 0.35 for the 25-item full scale and 0.34 for the 10-item subscale. Venlafaxine ER improved resilience on individual Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale items that reflect four factors (hardiness, persistence/tenacity, social support, and faith in a benevolent or meaningful world), to varying degrees in patients with PTSD. The findings suggest that assessment of treatment response might be enhanced by routine evaluation of resilience.

Duke Scholars

Author Jonathan R.T. Davidson Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Adult Psychiatry & Psychol ...