Written exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in residential treatment for substance use disorders: A randomized feasibility trial.
Addict BehavMay 5, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry
Rebecca L Schacht, Kevin R Wenzel, Laurel E Meyer et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the feasibility of Written Exposure Therapy (WET) combined with treatment as usual (TAU) for PTSD in 42 participants undergoing residential treatment for substance use disorders. Results indicated that participants receiving TAU+WET experienced significantly greater reductions in PTSD symptoms compared to those receiving TAU alone, with 52% achieving PTSD remission versus 21% in the TAU group.
Key findings
- Participants in the TAU+WET group showed a mean PTSD symptom reduction of -24.67 compared to -15.43 in the TAU group.
- 52% of TAU+WET participants achieved PTSD remission compared to 21% in the TAU group.
- TAU+WET participants demonstrated significantly greater improvements across all exploratory outcomes.
Why it matters
The co-occurrence of PTSD and substance use disorders complicates treatment, and integrating effective PTSD therapies like WET into residential care may improve patient outcomes and enhance overall treatment efficacy.