Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study

Background: In the empirical and clinical literature, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and personality disorders (PDs) are suggested to be predictive of drop-out or reduced treatment effectiveness in trauma-focused PTSD treatment. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate if pers...

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Main Authors: Ethy Dorrepaal, Kathleen Thomaes, Johannes H. Smit, Dick J. Veltman, Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn, Anton J. L. M. van Balkom, Nel Draijer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2013-11-01
Series:European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ejpt.net/index.php/ejpt/article/download/21171/pdf_1
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author Ethy Dorrepaal
Kathleen Thomaes
Johannes H. Smit
Dick J. Veltman
Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn
Anton J. L. M. van Balkom
Nel Draijer
author_facet Ethy Dorrepaal
Kathleen Thomaes
Johannes H. Smit
Dick J. Veltman
Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn
Anton J. L. M. van Balkom
Nel Draijer
author_sort Ethy Dorrepaal
collection DOAJ
description Background: In the empirical and clinical literature, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and personality disorders (PDs) are suggested to be predictive of drop-out or reduced treatment effectiveness in trauma-focused PTSD treatment. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate if personality characteristics would predict treatment compliance and effectiveness in stabilizing complex PTSD treatment. Method: In a randomized controlled trial on a 20-week stabilizing group cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for child-abuse-related complex PTSD, we included 71 patients of whom 38 were randomized to a psycho-educational and cognitive behavioral stabilizing group treatment. We compared the patients with few PD symptoms (adaptive) (N=14) with the non-adaptive patients (N=24) as revealed by a cluster analysis. Results: We found that non-adaptive patients compared to the adaptive patients showed very low drop-out rates. Both non-adaptive patients, classified with highly different personality profiles “withdrawn” and “aggressive,” were equally compliant. With regard to symptom reduction, we found no significant differences between subtypes. Post-hoc, patients with a PD showed lower drop-out rates and higher effect sizes in terms of complex PTSD severity, especially on domains that affect regulation and interpersonal problems. Conclusion: Contrary to our expectations, these preliminary findings indicate that this treatment is well tolerated by patients with a variety of personality pathology. Larger sample sizes are needed to study effectiveness for subgroups of complex PTSD patients.
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spelling doaj.art-7a7d387660224094a9810d90cef99bcf2022-12-22T03:32:56ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662013-11-01401710.3402/ejpt.v4i0.21171Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary studyEthy DorrepaalKathleen ThomaesJohannes H. SmitDick J. VeltmanAdriaan W. HoogendoornAnton J. L. M. van BalkomNel DraijerBackground: In the empirical and clinical literature, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and personality disorders (PDs) are suggested to be predictive of drop-out or reduced treatment effectiveness in trauma-focused PTSD treatment. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate if personality characteristics would predict treatment compliance and effectiveness in stabilizing complex PTSD treatment. Method: In a randomized controlled trial on a 20-week stabilizing group cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for child-abuse-related complex PTSD, we included 71 patients of whom 38 were randomized to a psycho-educational and cognitive behavioral stabilizing group treatment. We compared the patients with few PD symptoms (adaptive) (N=14) with the non-adaptive patients (N=24) as revealed by a cluster analysis. Results: We found that non-adaptive patients compared to the adaptive patients showed very low drop-out rates. Both non-adaptive patients, classified with highly different personality profiles “withdrawn” and “aggressive,” were equally compliant. With regard to symptom reduction, we found no significant differences between subtypes. Post-hoc, patients with a PD showed lower drop-out rates and higher effect sizes in terms of complex PTSD severity, especially on domains that affect regulation and interpersonal problems. Conclusion: Contrary to our expectations, these preliminary findings indicate that this treatment is well tolerated by patients with a variety of personality pathology. Larger sample sizes are needed to study effectiveness for subgroups of complex PTSD patients.www.ejpt.net/index.php/ejpt/article/download/21171/pdf_1Personality disorderstreatment outcomechild abuseposttraumatic stress disordercognitive behavioral treatmentcomplex PTSDdissociative subtype
spellingShingle Ethy Dorrepaal
Kathleen Thomaes
Johannes H. Smit
Dick J. Veltman
Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn
Anton J. L. M. van Balkom
Nel Draijer
Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Personality disorders
treatment outcome
child abuse
posttraumatic stress disorder
cognitive behavioral treatment
complex PTSD
dissociative subtype
title Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study
title_full Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study
title_fullStr Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study
title_full_unstemmed Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study
title_short Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study
title_sort treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex ptsd patients with co morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment a preliminary study
topic Personality disorders
treatment outcome
child abuse
posttraumatic stress disorder
cognitive behavioral treatment
complex PTSD
dissociative subtype
url http://www.ejpt.net/index.php/ejpt/article/download/21171/pdf_1
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