Workshop 2

 

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Edna Foa, University of Pennsylvania, USA

 Edna Foa

During the first part of the workshop I will discuss the diagnosis and clinical picture of PTSD.  I will briefly present a theoretical account that helps understand the factors that determined why some traumatized individuals recover and others develop chronic disorders.  Next, I will provide an overview of the efficacy of different cognitive behavioral programs that have been found helpful in ameliorating PTSD symptoms. During the second half of the workshop I will provide a detailed step-by-step description of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), the treatment that received most empirical evidence for its efficacy with PTSD.  The treatment will be demonstrated via videotapes of patients.
Key Objectives:
1) To teach the participants how to diagnosis PTSD.
2.)To summarize what we know about the efficacy of cognitive behavioural treatment of PTSD.
3.)To present a step-by-step description of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE).
 
Training Modalities: In this workshop training, I will include didactic material presented through slides and videotapes that demonstrate how the treatment is conducted with real patients.
 
Edna B. Foa, Ph.D. is a Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety.  Dr. Foa devoted her academic career to study the psychopathology and treatment of anxiety disorders, primarily obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social phobia and is currently one of the world leading experts in these areas. Dr. Foa has published several books and over 250 articles and book chapters and has lectured extensively around the world.  Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors.  Among them are: Distinguished Professor Award under the Fulbright Program for International Exchange of Scholars; Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Psychological Association, Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology; First Annual Outstanding Research Contribution Award presented by the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy; Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Clinical Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association; and Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
 
References: 1) Foa, E. B., Dancu, C. V., Hembree, E., Jaycox, L. H. and Meadows, E.A. and Street, G.P. (1999). A comparison of exposure therapy, stress inoculation training, and their combinations for reducing posttraumatic stress disorder in female assault victims.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 194-200.
2) Foa, E.B., Hembree, E.A., Cahill, S.P., Rauch., S.A.M., Riggs, D.S., Feeny, N.C., and Yadin, E. (2005) Randomized Trial of prolonged Exposure for PTSD with and without Cognitive Restructuring Outcome at Academic and Community Clinics. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 73, 953-964.
3) Treating the Trauma of Rape: Cognitive Behavior Therapy for PTSD, by E.B. Foa and B.O. Rothbaum, Guilford Publications, New York, 1997.