Effectiveness of CPT
CPT is one of the most well-studied and effective treatments for PTSD. It is recommended by the National Center for PTSD.
Research has shown that CPT is a first-line treatment for PTSD regardless of the type of trauma, or number of traumas. There have been over 40 randomized controlled trials (RCTS), which are considered the gold standard for scientific study, on the effectiveness of CPT. Studies (such as Haagen et al 2015) have found CPT to have an effect size of 1.2. In clinical studies, an effect size greater than 0.5 is generally considered to have meaningful clinical benefit. Studies have also shown that there is no significant difference in treatment outcomes between virtual and at home treatment for CPT (Peterson et al., 2022).
Research also shows that the best treatment outcomes come from fidelity to the CPT treatment protocol and a patient showing commitment to the homework. Our therapists are trained by the co-inventor of CPT, Dr. Kate Chard, and have high fidelity to the treatment.
CPT can also be completed by patients who are experiencing ongoing trauma such as interpersonal violence, living in active war zones, or are in active combat. In these situations, patients need to be able to access a place to do their homework, and to come to each session.
Lastly, recent studies have shown that doing CPT frequently (ideally daily), which we refer to as intensive treatment, can yield high reductions in PTSD symptoms. (Bryan et al., 2022). For many, daily therapy can be easier to complete, and can often lead to optimal clinical outcomes (Held et al., 2022).