OBJECTIVE Few empirical studies have addressed the impact of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on treatment utilisation and outcome in South African youth. This study was undertaken to document demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics of child and adolescent inpatients with PTSD. DESIGN A retrospective chart study of all patients presenting to a child and ad...

BACKGROUND Research has demonstrated a strong link between trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD and substance use disorders (SUDs) in general and cannabis use disorders in particular. Yet, few studies have examined the impact of cannabis use on treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring PTSD and SUDs. METHODS Participants were 136 individuals who received cognitive-behavioral ...

Our research group has - during the past 15 years - developed and tested internet interventions for more than 20 separate conditions totaling in close to 50 published randomized controlled trials. The studies cover a wide range of diagnoses including depression, social anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and pathological gambling. The treatments have mostly been based on cogn...

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine are the first-line choice in patients with PTSD. Animal studies have indicated that chronic fluoxetine exposure leads to persistent behavioral changes and neuroplasticity in the hippocampal formation and cortex. Previous studies revealed that adult female rats respond differently to trauma from adult males. Here, we hav...

Exposure to combat experiences is associated with increased risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy have garnered a significant amount of empirical support for PTSD treatment; however, they are not universally effective with some patients continuing to struggle with residual PTSD symptoms. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a m...

BACKGROUND Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. However, it is unclear whether EMDR shows the same effectiveness in patients with substance use disorders (SUD) and comorbid PTSD. In this trial, we examine the effectiveness of EMDR in reducing PTSD symptoms in patients with SUD and PTSD. METHODS/DESIGN We conduct a single-blinded RCT amo...