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The effect of imaginal exposure length on outcome of treatment for PTSD *
Author(s) -
Minnen Agnes van,
Foa Edna B.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20146
Subject(s) - habituation , anxiety , exposure therapy , psychology , anxiety disorder , depression (economics) , medicine , audiology , psychiatry , economics , macroeconomics
The effects of prolonged imaginal exposure sessions (60 minutes; n = 60) were compared with those of shorter exposure sessions (30 minutes, n = 32) for patients with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Consistent with the authors' hypothesis, patients who received 30‐minute imaginal exposure sessions showed less within‐session habituation than patients who received 60‐minute exposure sessions. However, no differences between patients who received 60‐minute and 30‐minute exposure sessions emerged on improvement in PTSD‐symptoms, state anxiety, depression, and end‐state functioning, both at posttreatment and at 1‐month follow‐up. No group differences were found with regard to between‐sessions habituation, number of sessions, and dropout rate. Results suggest that 30‐minute imaginal exposure sessions are as effective as 60‐minute exposure sessions and that within‐session habituation may not be a necessary condition for successful treatment of PTSD. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and extend them to other clinical populations.