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Sertraline in the treatment of rape victims with posttraumatic stress disorder
Author(s) -
Rothbaum Barbara O.,
Ninan Philip T.,
Thomas Linda
Publication year - 1996
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.2490090414
Subject(s) - sertraline , posttraumatic stress , psychiatry , psychology , population , anxiety disorder , clinical psychology , medicine , antidepressant , anxiety , environmental health
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant problem following rape, yet reports on the efficacy of pharmacological agents in this population are lacking. The results of an open 12‐week clinical trial utilizing sertraline (mean dose 105 mg) in the treatment of adult female rape victims with chronic PTSD are presented. The five completers were, on average, 41.6 years old and 15.6 years postassault. Sertraline reduced PTSD and related symptoms in these rape victims. The mean Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) scores decreased by 53%, with four out of five participants responding positively to treatment. These preliminary results support the need for systematic assessment of sertraline in this population.