Non-Trauma-Focused Psychotherapies for the Treatment of PTSD: a Descriptive Review

Purpose of review: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious disorder with high rates of chronicity and significant functional impairment. There is strong research support for several psychotherapies that focus on trauma, and these are recommended as first-line treatments. However, many patients are reluctant or unwilling to engage in treatments that focus on trauma, and some desire treatment for other pressing issues. As such, there is a need for effective alternative treatment options. The purpose of this review is to describe existing non-trauma-focused psychotherapies and summarize the available evidence for these treatments. Recent findings: A large number of studies have examined the efficacy of non-trauma-focused therapies. Present-centered therapy (PCT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), and several cognitive-behavioral approaches that focus on skills training and/or cognitive restructuring, and to a lesser extent, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) have empirical support from comparisons with wait-list or minimal attention controls and/or comparisons with trauma-focused therapies. Additional promising non-trauma-focused approaches with less evidence include mindfulness and meditation approaches and Skills Training for Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR). Summary: Although the evidence for trauma-focused therapy for PTSD remains the strongest, there is evidence supporting the use of these non-trauma-focused therapies for PTSD. © 2020, This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.