Brief Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to investigate if a brief, written intervention
for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Written Exposure Therapy (WET), is equally
efficacious as an evidenced-based behavioral therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy-Cognition
only (CPT-C), in the treatment of PTSD in active duty military men and women with a diagnosis
of PTSD who have deployed in support of a post-9/11. The primary study outcome will be change
in symptom severity as assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual-5 edition (CAPS-5). Independent assessors will evaluate participants using
the CAPS-5 at baseline, 10- (post-treatment), 20-, and 30-week intervals after the start of
treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Male and female active duty military personnel who have deployed in support of a
post-9/11 conflict seeking treatment for PTSD

- Diagnosis of PTSD

- Ability to speak, read and write English

- Not currently engaged in psychosocial treatment for PTSD

- Individuals taking psychotropic medications agree to work with their prescriber to
remain on stable doses of any prescribed psychotropic medications for the duration of
the intervention and through the first follow-up assessment as much as possible and as
medically indicated.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Current suicide or homicide risk meriting crisis intervention

- Active psychosis

- Moderate to severe brain damage