OBJECTIVE: The current study marks the first randomized controlled trial to test the benefit of combining Seeking Safety (SS), a present-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), with sertraline, a front-line medication for PTSD shown to also impact drinking outcomes. METHOD: Sixty-nine participants (81% female; 59% African American) with primarily childhood sexual (46%) and physical (39%) trauma exposure, and drug dependence in addition to AUD were randomized to receive a partial-dose (12 sessions) of SS with either sertraline (n = 32; M = 7 sessions) or placebo (n = 37; M = 6 sessions). Assessments conducted at baseline, end-of-treatment, 6- and 12-months posttreatment measured PTSD and AUD symptom severity. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in PTSD symptoms. The SS plus sertraline group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in PTSD symptoms than the SS plus placebo group at end-of-treatment (M difference = -16.15, p = .04, d = 0.83), which was sustained at 6- and 12-month follow-up (M difference = -13.81, p = .04, d = 0.71, and M difference = -12.72, p = .05, d = 0.65, respectively). Both SS groups improved significantly on AUD severity at all posttreatment time points with no significant differences between SS plus sertraline and SS plus placebo. CONCLUSION: Results support the combining of a cognitive-behavioral therapy and sertraline for PTSD/AUD. Clinically significant reductions in both PTSD and AUD severity were achieved and sustained through 12-months follow-up, Moreover, greater mean improvement in PTSD symptoms was observed across all follow-up assessments in the SS plus sertraline group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The current study marks the first randomized controlled trial to test the benefit of combining Seeking Safety (SS), a present-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), with sertraline, a front-line medication for PTSD shown to also impact drinking outcomes. METHOD: Sixty-nine participants (81% female; 59% African American) with primarily childhood sexual (46%) and physical (39%) trauma exposure, and drug dependence in addition to AUD were randomized to receive a partial-dose (12 sessions) of SS with either sertraline (n = 32; M = 7 sessions) or placebo (n = 37; M = 6 sessions). Assessments conducted at baseline, end-of-treatment, 6- and 12-months posttreatment measured PTSD and AUD symptom severity. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in PTSD symptoms. The SS plus sertraline group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in PTSD symptoms than the SS plus placebo group at end-of-treatment (M difference = -16.15, p = .04, d = 0.83), which was sustained at 6- and 12-month follow-up (M difference = -13.81, p = .04, d = 0.71, and M difference = -12.72, p = .05, d = 0.65, respectively). Both SS groups improved significantly on AUD severity at all posttreatment time points with no significant differences between SS plus sertraline and SS plus placebo. CONCLUSION: Results support the combining of a cognitive-behavioral therapy and sertraline for PTSD/AUD. Clinically significant reductions in both PTSD and AUD severity were achieved and sustained through 12-months follow-up, Moreover, greater mean improvement in PTSD symptoms was observed across all follow-up assessments in the SS plus sertraline group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Authors: Anouk L Grubaugh; Kathryn M Magruder; Angela E Waldrop; Jon D Elhai; Rebecca G Knapp; B Christopher Frueh Journal: J Nerv Ment Dis Date: 2005-10 Impact factor: 2.254
Authors: Kathleen T Brady; Susan Sonne; Raymond F Anton; Carrie L Randall; Sudie E Back; Kit Simpson Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Murray B Stein; Laura Campbell-Sills; Joel Gelernter; Feng He; Steven G Heeringa; Matthew K Nock; Nancy A Sampson; Xiaoying Sun; Sonia Jain; Ronald C Kessler; Robert J Ursano Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2016-11-24 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Cynthia D Mohr; Cameron T McCabe; Sarah N Haverly; Leslie B Hammer; Kathleen F Carlson Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2018-01 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Anka A Vujanovic; Lia J Smith; Charles E Green; Scott D Lane; Joy M Schmitz Journal: Contemp Clin Trials Date: 2017-12-26 Impact factor: 2.226