Five-year outcomes in a randomised controlled trial of prolonged exposure therapy and supportive counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescents: a task-shifted intervention.

In 30 seconds

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the long-term effectiveness of prolonged exposure therapy (PE-A) and supportive counselling (SC) for adolescents with PTSD, with 63 participants followed for 60 months. Both treatments showed significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, with PE-A demonstrating greater improvement at earlier follow-ups, although not at 60 months (p = .28).

Key findings

• Both treatment groups maintained significant reductions in PTSD symptoms up to 60 months post-treatment (F (7, 343) = 2.86, p < .01).
• Participants receiving prolonged exposure therapy showed greater improvement on the CPSS at all follow-up points except for the 60-month follow-up (p = .28; g = 0.33).
• The average treatment duration was 9 sessions for both PE-A and SC, delivered by non-specialist health workers.
• Participants rated both treatments as very helpful, indicating a strong therapeutic alliance with their counsellors.

Why it matters

The study highlights the long-term effectiveness of task-shifted psychological interventions for PTSD in adolescents, suggesting that non-specialist health workers can successfully deliver these therapies in resource-limited settings, which may enhance access to mental health care.