Comparing Intensive Trauma-Focused Treatment Outcome on PTSD Symptom Severity in Older and Younger Adults

Objective: To examine the treatment outcome of an intensive trauma-focused program for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in older and younger adults. Methods: A non-randomized study was conducted with 62 consecutively admitted PTSD patients (60–78 years) (19–58 years), matched on gender availability follow-up data. Patients participated eight-day consisting eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), prolonged exposure (PE), physical activity, group psycho-education. symptom severity (Clinician-Administered Scale-5 (CAPS-5)) assessed, at pre- post-treatment, a subsample (n = 31 older; n patients) six-month follow-up. Results: repeated-measures ANCOVA (centered CAPS pre-treatment score as covariate) indicated significant decrease CAPS-5-scores from to post-treatment total sample (partial η2 0.808). The not significantly different across age groups 0.002). There were no differences response (pre- partial < 0.001; 0.006), large CAPS-5 scores 0.76) maintained 0.003). Conclusion: results suggest that is applicable adults within-effect size comparable participants. Further research age-related features needed whether these can be replicated oldest-old (>80).