Prolonged Exposure for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Patients Exhibiting Psychotic Symptoms: A Scoping Review

Background

Trauma is a significant risk factor for developing psychosis. Nevertheless, psychosis is often considered grounds for not receiving trauma-focused therapy due to concerns of exacerbating psychotic symptoms. Prolonged exposure (PE) is a recognized and effective evidence-based therapy modality for the treatment of severe trauma.

Objective

To assess the available empirical evidence for PE as a feasible treatment programme for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients with psychotic symptoms.

Method

A systematic literature search was conducted using the databases Scopus, PsycINFO (OVID) and PubMed MEDLINE in December 2023 with a priori defined eligibility criteria. The literature search identified 1226 articles, of which eight met the eligibility criteria. Five studies exploring the effects of PE treatment on patients diagnosed with PTSD and suffering from comorbid psychotic experiences were included. Three studies containing follow-up data or secondary analysis on PTSD and psychotic symptoms from original studies fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included. Each study was assessed for quality to estimate the risk of bias.

Results

Acknowledging the scarcity of available evidence, the results of the scoping review indicate that PE may be an effective treatment approach for reducing PTSD symptoms in patients with PTSD and comorbid psychotic symptoms. The reviewed studies found no iatrogenic effects, including no increase in psychotic symptoms.

Conclusion

PE appears to be a possibly effective PTSD treatment for patients suffering from PTSD and comorbid psychotic symptoms or disorders. However, the evidence is scarce, and larger confirmative trials are required for more conclusive evidence.