A Preliminary Examination of Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Chronic Pain Patients: A Case Study

Authors

Jillian C. Shipherd, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
J. Gayle Beck, University at Buffalo, The State University of New YorkFollow
Jessica L. Hamblen, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Jeffrey M. Lackner, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical SciencesFollow
Jennifer B. Freeman, University at Buffalo, The State University of New YorkFollow

Abstract

Manualized treatments have become popular, despite concern about their use when comorbid diagnoses are present. In this report, the efficacy of manualized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment was examined in the presence of chronic pain. Additionally, the effect of PTSD treatment on chronic pain and additional psychiatric diagnoses was explored. Six female patients with both PTSD and chronic pain following motor vehicle accidents were treated for PTSD using a multiple baseline design. The results indicate that manualized treatment for PTSD was effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in these patients. Although there were no changes in subjective pain, there were pain-related functional improvements and reductions in other psychiatric diagnoses for the majority of patients.

Publication Title

Journal of Traumatic Stress

Recommended Citation

Shipherd, J., Beck, J., Hamblen, J., Lackner, J., & Freeman, J. (2003). A Preliminary Examination of Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Chronic Pain Patients: A Case Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16 (5), 451-457. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025754310462