UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis

Mavranezouli, I; Megnin-Viggars, O; Daly, C; Dias, S; Welton, NJ; Stockton, S; Bhutani, G; ... Pilling, S; + view all (2020) Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine , 50 (4) pp. 542-555. 10.1017/S0033291720000070. Green open access

[thumbnail of Article]
Preview
Text (Article)
Katona_PTSD adult NMA manuscript R1 CLEAN.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (861kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Supplement]
Preview
Text (Supplement)
Katona_adult NMA supplement R1 CLEAN.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (4MB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Figures]
Preview
Text (Figures)
Katona_PTSD adult NMA Figure 1 flow chart.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (433kB) | Preview

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potentially chronic and disabling disorder affecting a significant minority of people exposed to trauma. Various psychological treatments have been shown to be effective, but their relative effects are not well established. METHODS: We undertook a systematic review and network meta-analyses of psychological interventions for adults with PTSD. Outcomes included PTSD symptom change scores post-treatment and at 1-4-month follow-up, and remission post-treatment. RESULTS: We included 90 trials, 6560 individuals and 22 interventions. Evidence was of moderate-to-low quality. Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) [standardised mean difference (SMD) -2.07; 95% credible interval (CrI) -2.70 to -1.44], combined somatic/cognitive therapies (SMD -1.69; 95% CrI -2.66 to -0.73), trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) (SMD -1.46; 95% CrI -1.87 to -1.05) and self-help with support (SMD -1.46; 95% CrI -2.33 to -0.59) appeared to be most effective at reducing PTSD symptoms post-treatment v. waitlist, followed by non-TF-CBT, TF-CBT combined with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), SSRIs, self-help without support and counselling. EMDR and TF-CBT showed sustained effects at 1-4-month follow-up. EMDR, TF-CBT, self-help with support and counselling improved remission rates post-treatment. Results for other interventions were either inconclusive or based on limited evidence. CONCLUSIONS: EMDR and TF-CBT appear to be most effective at reducing symptoms and improving remission rates in adults with PTSD. They are also effective at sustaining symptom improvements beyond treatment endpoint. Further research needs to explore the long-term comparative effectiveness of psychological therapies for adults with PTSD and also the impact of severity and complexity of PTSD on treatment outcomes.

Type: Article
Title: Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291720000070
Publisher version: http://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720000070
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Interventions, network meta-analysis, post-traumatic stress disorder, systematic review
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10091571
Downloads since deposit
2,683Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item