Multisite, Randomized Clinical Trial of Virtual Reality and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Active Duty Soldiers with PTSD.

摘要

This randomized, clinical trial was designed to extend recruitment to an additional active duty site (Womack Army Medical Center at Ft Bragg) in support of a previously funded clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) and prolonged exposure therapy (PE) with a waitlist (WL) group in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in active duty (AD) Soldiers with combat-related trauma. Soldiers with PTSD from deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan were randomized to 10 sessions of either PE or VRE or were assigned to a minimal attention wait list. All assessments were conducted by a psychologist blind to treatment group. External, independent treatment fidelity reviews were conducted for both treatments. Service members were assessed before randomization, after 5 sessions, at posttreatment, and 3- and 6-months posttreatment. PTSD was assessed with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Difficulties with personnel, a slow pace of recruitment, and ultimately the analysis of the data from the original study site called into question the value of continuing this effort, which resulted in the study ending with 23 subjects randomized.