Abstract
"A systematic review of psychological therapies and treatment outcomes for complex PTSD and childhood abuse" by Amber Freeman and Dr Theodora Dallas
 
Research indicates that current interventions for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) have poor treatment outcomes, particularly for survivors of childhood abuse (CA). The review aims to investigate symptom reduction, recovery/remission rates, quality of life and whether stabilisation phases are required in psychological therapies for CPTSD and CA. A systematic review was conducted, using PsycINFO, PubMed and PTSDpubs databases, journals and ProQuest. 76 studies were sourced, 34 full text articles were screened with 11 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. There was large heterogeneity between studies, randomised trials indicated a high risk of bias, whereas non-randomised trials displayed good quality. Psychological therapies reduced core symptoms of PTSD, increased remission rates and quality of life and may be generalised to survivors of CA associated with CPTSD. The review concluded that Dialectical Behaviour Therapy-based interventions may need to be considered in future treatment guidelines and specific comparisons between treatments should be considered for future studies.