Key patterns and predictors of response to treatment for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: a growth mixture modelling approach

Abstract

These findings highlight the importance of assessing guilt and depression prior to treatment for PTSD, and for severe cases with co-morbid guilt and depression, considering an approach to trauma-focused therapy that specifically targets guilt and depression-related cognitions.

A validation study of the International Trauma Questionnaire to assess post-traumatic stress disorder in treatment-seeking veterans

“…5 Latent class studies of PTSD treatment responses in USA, Australian and UK populations demonstrated the heterogeneity of treatment response. [6][7][8] Factors such as severity of PTSD presentations, comorbid mental difficulties, childhood adversity and dissociation are associated with poorer treatment responses. 6,7,9 Taken together, a one-size-fits-all approach to understanding PTSD may not be adequate, and there is a need to better understand the complexity of PTSD presentations in military veterans and other trauma populations.…”

Treatment Efficacy for Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Latent Class Trajectories of Treatment Response and Their Predictors

“…Using this method, researchers can examine the clinical correlates of differing responses to treatment, such as predictors of fast and slow treatment response and treatment resistance (Jung & Wickrama, ). Two studies of veterans have shown the benefits of applying LCGA: One study in a sample of U.S. veterans treated in a residential setting for symptoms of PTSD (Currier et al., ) and another in a sample of Australian veterans treated in outpatient settings (Phelps et al., ). In both studies, the authors reported distinct subgroups of treatment response—Currier and colleagues () reported three groups and Phelps and colleagues () reported five groups.…”

“…Two studies of veterans have shown the benefits of applying LCGA: One study in a sample of U.S. veterans treated in a residential setting for symptoms of PTSD (Currier et al., ) and another in a sample of Australian veterans treated in outpatient settings (Phelps et al., ). In both studies, the authors reported distinct subgroups of treatment response—Currier and colleagues () reported three groups and Phelps and colleagues () reported five groups. In addition, the authors identified specific correlates of treatment class.…”

Treatment Outcomes for Military Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Response Trajectories by Symptom Cluster

“…Unfortunately, up to two‐thirds of veterans retain their PTSD diagnosis after treatment (Bradley, Greene, Russ, Dutra, & Westen, ; Steenkamp et al., ). Researchers have identified subgroups of veterans with different response trajectories, including responders with high symptom change or low symptom change and nonresponders (Elliott, Biddle, Hawthorne, Forbes, & Creamer, ; Phelps et al., ). Phelps and colleagues () used conditional latent growth mixture modeling to identify five classes of response trajectories, with depression and guilt serving as significant predictors of class membership.…”

“…Researchers have identified subgroups of veterans with different response trajectories, including responders with high symptom change or low symptom change and nonresponders (Elliott, Biddle, Hawthorne, Forbes, & Creamer, ; Phelps et al., ). Phelps and colleagues () used conditional latent growth mixture modeling to identify five classes of response trajectories, with depression and guilt serving as significant predictors of class membership. Overall, they found treatment gains to be modest, with the largest class showing a 6‐point drop on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL; Weathers, Litz, Herman, Huska, & Keane, ).…”