Y.T. (Ytje ) van Pelt, PhD

Experiencing a shocking event can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a stressful condition for patients and their family members. Therefore, effective and prompt treatment is important. According to the guidelines, PTSD should be treated with weekly therapy. If that has an insufficient effect, intensive treatment is recommended. This involves several sessions per week. Intensive treatment works just as well as regular treatment but has a faster effect. Would it not be better to use intensive treatment immediately? This project compares the effectiveness and efficiency of intensive therapy and regular therapy. Patients can participate if they have experienced multiple traumatic events, particularly through their professional occupation, and are entering treatment for the first time come to treatment for PTSD. If intensive treatment is found to be most effective, it can be used earlier in the future.

Research question: Intensive trauma-focused therapy (I-TFT) is as effective as, but shows faster results than, spaced trauma-focused therapy (S-TFT), but according to clinical guidelines should only be implemented as third-line treatment for PTSD. Would it be more cost-effective to implement I-TFT as first-line treatment?

Funding: The study is funded under a ZonMw grant (Project number ZonMw grant 10390022210087).

This study is conducted In a collaboration between the University of Groningen, ARQ IVP, PsyZo!, Psychotrauma Center Haarlem, the Military Mental Health Services and ARQ Centrum'45, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Leiden University and Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC.