Psychological and Pharmacological Interventions for PTSD and Comorbidities (1 CE)

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, MFTs, and Nurses

Course By: Tamara Avery, PsyD

Content By: Coventry, P. A., Meader, N., Melton, H., Temple, M., Dale, H., Wright, K., Cloitre, M., Karatzias, T., Bisson, J., Roberts, N. P., Brown, J. V. E., Barbui, C., Churchill, R., Lovell, K., McMillan, D., & Gilbody, S. (2020). Psychological and pharmacological interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid mental health problems following complex traumatic events: Systematic review and component network meta-analysis. PLoS Med, 17 (8), 1-34.

Course Description: There has been an increased prevalence of complex traumatic events associated with armed conflict, childhood sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Those exposed to such events are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health comorbidities. Evidence-based psychological and pharmacological treatment modalities are effective for single-event PTSD and may be effective for complex traumatic events. Researchers found that trauma-focused psychological interventions were effective for mental health problem management and comorbidities for individuals exposed to complex trauma. There is an identified research and clinical priority to establish multicomponent psychological intervention delivery methods for individuals exposed to complex traumatic events.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the purpose of the study and identified treatment methods for individuals with a history of complex trauma and related mental health comorbidities
2. Integrate the 3 study strengths with the 4 identified limitations addressed in the article
3. Generalize the possibility and/or plausibility of applying the study findings to psychological and pharmacological treatment modalities, versus usual care and active controls, when treating patients with a history of complex trauma

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Psychological and pharmacological interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid mental health problems following complex traumatic events: Systematic review and component network meta-analysis
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Consider the factors related to posttraumatic stress disorder, complex posttraumatic stress disorder, and comorbid mental health problems coupled with the statistical findings from the accompanying article
• Work through the post-test questions; keep in mind that answer selections should be derived from the accompanying article
• Return to the referenced article for any missed questions and/or to better understand the relationship between complex traumatic events and multimodal treatment approaches

Approvals: