Comparing phase-based treatment, prolonged exposure, and skills-training for Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Objective

This study examines treatment effects in STAIR Narrative Therapy (SNT), a phase-based treatment where Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) precedes Narrative Therapy (NT), compared to Prolonged Exposure (PE) and to STAIR.

Method

Ninety-two adult patients diagnosed with DSM-5 PTSD and ICD-11 CPTSD following childhood abuse were randomly assigned to enhanced versions of SNT (12 group STAIR sessions + 8 individual NT sessions), PE (8–16 individual sessions), or STAIR (12 group STAIR sessions) provided in residential care. Outcome was assessed by mixed models.

Results

PE produced greater improvements in DSM-5 PTSD symptoms compared to SNT from pre-treatment to post-treatment, but not compared to STAIR. Reductions in ICD-11 CPTSD symptoms were not significantly different among conditions. From pre-treatment to 1 year follow-up, PE produced greater PTSD symptom improvements than SNT and STAIR, and PE and STAIR produced greater CPTSD symptom improvements than SNT.

Conclusions

The predicted stronger effect of SNT compared to PE and STAIR on DSM-5 PTSD and ICD-11 CPTSD symptoms was not supported by the findings. The benefits of immediate trauma-focused treatments (TFT) as compared to phase-based treatments, and the potential non-inferiority of skills-training as compared to TFT in CPTSD needs to be further investigated.