Skip to content

SUMMER SALE: 30 Percent off All Beck Institute On-Demand Courses Until June 26! Learn More and Save.

  • Donate Now
  • Seeking Treatment?
  • Cart
  • Account
  • Cart
  • Account
Beck Institute
  • CBT & CT-R Training
    • Training for Organizations
    • Training for Professionals
    • Center for CT-R
    • Full Training Catalog
    • On-Demand Courses
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Supervision
    • Consultation
    • Discounts, Financial Aid, and Scholarships
    • Continuing Education
  • Certification
    • Beck Institute CBT Certified Clinician (BICBT-CC)
    • Beck Institute CBT Certified Master Clinician (BICBT-CMC)
    • Beck Institute CBT Certified Supervisor (BICBT-CS)
    • Work Sample
  • CBT & CT-R Resources
    • Beck Institute Newsletter
    • CBT Insights Blog
    • Resources for Professionals and Students
    • Resources for Non-Professionals
    • International Resources
    • Emergency Response Resources
    • FAQs
  • About Us
    • History of Beck Institute
    • Understanding CBT
    • Our Team
    • Dr. Aaron T. Beck
    • Dr. Judith S. Beck
    • Employment Opportunities
    • The Beck Institute Clinic
    • Press Room
  • Therapy & Coaching Services
    • Beck Institute Clinic
    • Beck Institute Weight Management
  • My Account
    • My Certification
    • My Training
  • CBT & CT-R Training
    • Training for Organizations
    • Training for Professionals
    • Center for CT-R
    • Full Training Catalog
    • On-Demand Courses
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Supervision
    • Consultation
    • Discounts, Financial Aid, and Scholarships
    • Continuing Education
    • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
    • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
  • Certification
    • Beck Institute CBT Certified Clinician (BICBT-CC)
    • Beck Institute CBT Certified Master Clinician (BICBT-CMC)
    • Beck Institute CBT Certified Supervisor (BICBT-CS)
    • Work Sample
    • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
    • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
  • CBT & CT-R Resources
    • Beck Institute Newsletter
    • CBT Insights Blog
    • Resources for Professionals and Students
    • Resources for Non-Professionals
    • International Resources
    • Emergency Response Resources
    • FAQs
    • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
    • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
  • About Us
    • History of Beck Institute
    • Understanding CBT
    • Our Team
    • Dr. Aaron T. Beck
    • Dr. Judith S. Beck
    • Employment Opportunities
    • The Beck Institute Clinic
    • Press Room
    • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
    • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
  • Therapy & Coaching Services
    • Beck Institute Clinic
    • Beck Institute Weight Management
    • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
    • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
  • My Account
    • My Certification
    • My Training
    • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
    • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
  • Donate Now Seeking Treatment?
  • fab fa-facebook fab fa-linkedin-in fab fa-x-twitter fab fa-youtube
Home CBT Insights First Comparative Study of Early and Delayed CBT Interventions for PTSD
  • Other

First Comparative Study of Early and Delayed CBT Interventions for PTSD

June 8, 2021 / by Hallie Grossman
Categories: Other

Browse by Topic


  • Everything
  • Aaron T. Beck
  • ADHD
  • All Conditions
  • Anger
  • Anorexia
  • Anxiety and Panic Disorders
  • Beck Announcements
  • Beck in the News
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Bulimia
  • CBT Certification
  • CBT Training
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Chronic Pain
  • CT-R
  • Depression
  • Digestive Issues
  • Emotional Disorders
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Impact of CBT
  • Insomnia
  • Judith S. Beck
  • Migraines
  • Newsroom
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Other
  • Panic Disorder
  • Personality Disorders
  • Practitioner Tips
  • PTSD
  • Q&A Responses
  • Relationship Problems
  • Schizophrenia
  • Sexual Dysfunctions
  • Social Phobia
  • Substance Use Disorders
  • Success Stories
  • Suicide
  • Training for Organizations
  • Weight Management

A recent and first comparative study of early and delayed cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) interventions for PTSD found that prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive therapy (CT), and delayed PE prevent chronic PTSD in recent survivors. This study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry used equipoise-stratified randomization with trauma survivors who were recruited from Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. Adult trauma survivors were initially screened via telephone to ensure that they met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. Adults (516) who met criteria were randomly assigned to receive treatment in a prolonged exposure (PE) group, a cognitive therapy (CT) group, double blind comparison of treatment with escitalopram (SSRI) or placebo groups, and a control wait-list group. Of the 756 adults who did not meet DSM-IV criteria, 296 of them accepted an invitation to receive clinical assessment.

The participants were evaluated following early interventions at 5 months and assessed again at 9 months. PE and CT treatment sessions were recorded and evaluated by CT experts. The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) was used to measure the presence of PTSD at 5 and 9 months following treatment. Results showed that PE, CT, and delayed PE treatments were effective in lowering the rates and symptoms of PTSD in participants. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the presence of PTSD in participants who received PE or CT and delayed PE treatment. This suggests that delaying PTSD interventions may not pose a threat to treatment outcomes. There was also no difference in improvement between the groups who received the SSRI versus placebo pills.

Since this was the first comparative study of early and delayed PTSD interventions, the researchers recommend replication studies to test for reliability. They also propose that future research focus on more simple CBT techniques to determine how those methods play a role in preventing PTSD. Finally, the lack of improvement from pharmacological treatment with escitalopram necessitates further evaluation and replication with larger samples.

Shalev, A.Y., Ankri, Y., Israeli-Shalev, Y., Peleg, T., Adessky, R., & Freedman, S. (2011). Prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder by early treatment. Arch Gen Psychiatry.

PREVIOUS ARTICLE
The Use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a Method to Improve Self Care in Medical Students
NEXT ARTICLE
November 14 – 16, 2011, Cognitive Behavior Therapy Workshop Level ll: Personality Disorders and Challenging Problems
Sign Up for
Our Newsletter

View a sample newsletter



Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy
One Belmont Avenue, Suite 503 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004-1610 +1 (610) 664-3020 help@beckinstitute.org Contact Us
© 2025 Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refund and Cancellation Policy
  • Permission to Use Beck Institute Materials
  • Sitemap
  • fab fa-facebook
  • fab fa-linkedin-in
  • fab fa-x-twitter
  • fab fa-youtube
Beck Institute Cares