UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among active-duty service members and veterans impacts not only individuals experiencing PTSD, but also their spouses and families. Left untreated, PTSD is typically chronic and very impairing. However, for individuals experiencing PTSD, one weekend retreat with their partner can support recovery while simultaneously improving their romantic relationships, according to a pilot study led by Steffany Fredman, associate professor of human development and family studies and associate professor of psychology at Penn State.
Now, Fredman has received a $3 million grant award from the Department of Defense (DoD) and is working with her colleagues at the STRONG STAR Consortium based at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) to expand their study.
With this new funding, Fredman and colleagues can run a randomized controlled trial to test the condensed version of the cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD) treatment protocol with a more rigorous design to evaluate impacts on PTSD symptoms, relationship functioning, and partner well-being in eligible active-duty service members and veterans and their partners.
This additional funding also helps make the treatment available to active-duty personnel and veterans and their partners from across the nation, who can express their interest in participating at this link.
“PTSD is an extremely treatable psychological condition. Even if people have suffered from PTSD for decades, it is possible to recover in weeks to months if they receive evidence-based treatment,” said Fredman, who is also an Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research. “Through our work, we’ve been able to demonstrate that delivering a condensed version of an established therapy for PTSD to active-duty military and veterans and their partners is associated with extremely positive outcomes for individuals and couples.”
Fredman and her colleague Candice Monson, professor of psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University, developed cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD). The protocol simultaneously treats PTSD and enhances intimate relationships. The treatment protocol typically involves 15 weekly sessions, which can be a barrier to treatment for many.
In the pilot study, Fredman and colleagues delivered a condensed version of CBCT for PTSD to multiple couples during a weekend retreat-style format. The condensed version makes delivery of the intervention more efficient and scalable. It also allows more people in need, who may not otherwise be able to participate or have access to the treatment, to receive care.
“The pilot study was a bit of a radical idea because no one had done a 2-day, group-based couple therapy for PTSD before and there were a lot of unknowns,” Fredman said. “It worked better than we expected.”
The research team found that partner involvement in PTSD treatment was a “game changer.” Fredman explained that when a couple works together to reduce the impact of PTSD on their relationship, the home environment becomes optimized to reinforce new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that are essential for PTSD recovery. They also observed that delivering the condensed therapy to multiple couples at the same time through a weekend retreat-style format seemed to improve the efficacy of the treatment.
“PTSD can make individuals and couples feel isolated, and people often think that they and their spouses are the only ones struggling with these issues. Doing this treatment in a group with other couples allowed the couples to support and learn from each other. This reduces stigma and promotes the ability to trust other people more generally,” Fredman said.
With the new grant, military and veteran couples will be randomized to receive the condensed version of CBCT for PTSD or the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP), a well-established relationship education program that has also been tested in a multi-couple group format.
“We’re excited to test the therapy with a bigger sample and more rigorous research design,” Fredman said. “One of the exciting things about this study is that both CBCT for PTSD and PREP have demonstrated positive impacts on individual well-being and relationship functioning, so we feel good about both conditions that participants may receive.”
Participation and eligibility
CBCT for PTSD and PREP are delivered to eligible couples in San Antonio, Texas, roughly every six weeks. Recruitment is nation-wide, so couples do not need to live in San Antonio or the state of Texas to participate. Assessments to determine eligibility can be conducted remotely.
Those selected to participate are only responsible for their travel to San Antonio. The intervention, lodging and meals throughout the weekend are included at no cost to participants.
“It’s never too late to recover from PTSD,” according to Fredman. “We hope this treatment format will bring effective, lasting recovery to those in need.”
Other research collaborators participating on this project are Alan Peterson, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, UT Health San Antonio and director of the STRONG STAR Consortium; Stacey Young-McCaughan, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UT Health San Antonio and deputy director of the STRONG STAR Consortium; Tabatha Blount, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, UT Health San Antonio; Vanessa Jacoby, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, UT Health San Antonio; Galena Rhoades, research professor of psychology, University of Denver; Scott Stanley, research professor of psychology, University of Denver; Candice Monson, CEO and Founder, Nellie Health; and Damon Jones, research professor, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Penn State University.
About STRONG STAR
The STRONG STAR Consortium is a state- and federally-funded, multi-institutional research group working to develop and evaluate the most effective early interventions for the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of psychological health conditions in military personnel, veterans and first-responders.