In the Dutch treatment guidelines for anxiety disorders, trauma-focused treatment such as Prolonged Exposure (PE), is recommended as first treatment option for PTSD. However, despite these clear guidelines, there is an ongoing debate among researchers and clinicians whether these guidelines fit patients with childhood abuse related PTSD (CA-PTSD). Non-attendance and high dropout rates in this particular patient group seem common. The general aim of the present project is to test the (cost)effectiveness and tolerability of two innovative forms of trauma-focused treatment in patients with chronic, childhood-related PTSD. phase-based therapy (emotion regulation skills training followed by PE) and intensive PE (i-PE). The effects will be assessed post-treatment and after a 6 and 12 months follow-up in an intention-to-treat analysis. Results will be disseminated and included in treatment guidelines. We expect both treatment innovations to have fewer dropouts, to lead to faster symptom reduction and more favorable long term outcomes and consequently, lower treatment costs.

Dr. Maartje Schoorl is projectleader in collaboration with professor Van der Does (promotor). The projectgroup consists of several national and international experts in treatment of child abuse related PTSD: prof. dr. van Minnen (Radboud University),prof. dr. B. Elzinga (Leiden University), dr. E. Dorrepaal (PsyQ Parnassia), dr. T. Mooren (University of Utecht, Arq expertcenter), dr. W. van den Hout (university of Leiden), drs. J. van Hamersveld-De Wolf (Angst, Dwang en Fobie Stichting) prof. dr. A. Ehlers (Oxford University), prof.dr. M. Cloitre (New York University). The project is a collaboration between Leiden University, PsyQ and Pro Persona.

More information can be found on the IMPACT website.

• childhood trauma
• depression
• diagnostics and treatment
• ptsd

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