Does Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy for PTSD Improve Perceived Health and Sleep Impairment?

There is a paucity of empirical study about the effects of evidence-based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on concurrent health concerns including sleep impairment. This study compares the differential effects of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) on health-related concerns and sleep impairment within a PTSD sample of female, adult rape survivors (N = 108). Results showed that participants in both treatments reported lower health-related concerns over treatment and follow-up, but there were relatively more improvements in the CPT condition. Examination of sleep quality indicated significant improvement in both CPT and PE across treatment and follow-up and no significant differences between treatments. These results are discussed with regard to the different mechanisms thought to underlie the treatments and future innovations in PTSD treatment. A growing literature implicates traumatic stress in adverse health outcomes when measured by biological and physiological indices, self-report, and mortality rates (Friedman & Schnurr, 1995; Green & Kimerling, 2004). Environmental and behavioral factors unique to traumatized individuals complicate the relationship between exposure to trauma and poor health status. A