Concurrent delivery of written exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder treatment in an intensive eating disorder program: a case series.

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and eating disorders (EDs) frequently co-occur, with PTSD potentially worsening ED treatment outcomes. Integrated and concurrent interventions that treat both conditions together have been recommended, but no best practices exist. This case series of nine patients provides preliminary data on Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief, low-resource PTSD intervention, delivered concurrently with inpatient or day hospital ED treatment. Results showed reductions in PTSD symptoms, with most patients experiencing clinically significant improvements. Changes in ED symptoms varied, but no patients experienced deterioration. These findings suggest WET is a promising, efficient method for treating PTSD alongside ED treatment, supporting the need for clinical trials to assess its acceptability and efficacy for ED-PTSD.