PTSD Evidence-Based Treatment & Intervention Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which component of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy involves the client revisiting traumatic memories through repeated verbal recounting?
- In vivo exposure
- Imaginal exposure (Correct answer)
- Interoceptive exposure
- Systematic desensitization
Correct answer: Imaginal exposure
Imaginal exposure in PE involves repeatedly narrating the traumatic event in detail to process and reduce its emotional charge.
Question 2: In Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), 'stuck points' refer to which of the following?
- Avoidance behaviors that prevent treatment progress
- Maladaptive beliefs that block natural recovery from trauma (Correct answer)
- Flashbacks that interrupt daily functioning
- Physiological arousal symptoms that resist medication
Correct answer: Maladaptive beliefs that block natural recovery from trauma
Stuck points are specific maladaptive cognitions or beliefs—often about safety, trust, power, esteem, or intimacy—that impede natural trauma recovery.
Question 3: EMDR therapy's bilateral stimulation most commonly involves which sensory modality in clinical practice?
- Auditory tones alternating between ears
- Tactile vibration on alternating hands
- Lateral eye movements following the therapist's finger (Correct answer)
- Olfactory stimulation tied to trauma cues
Correct answer: Lateral eye movements following the therapist's finger
Although bilateral stimulation can use auditory or tactile modes, lateral eye movements following a moving stimulus are the most common EMDR method.
Question 4: Written Exposure Therapy (WET) differs from Prolonged Exposure primarily by:
- Eliminating all homework assignments
- Using written trauma narratives instead of verbal recounting and requiring fewer sessions (Correct answer)
- Focusing exclusively on cognitive restructuring without exposure
- Requiring concurrent pharmacotherapy
Correct answer: Using written trauma narratives instead of verbal recounting and requiring fewer sessions
WET uses structured written accounts of the trauma over approximately five sessions, making it briefer and potentially more accessible than PE.
Question 5: Which first-line pharmacological agents are FDA-approved specifically for PTSD treatment?
- Sertraline and paroxetine (Correct answer)
- Prazosin and clonidine
- Risperidone and quetiapine
- Buspirone and hydroxyzine
Correct answer: Sertraline and paroxetine
Sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil) are the only FDA-approved medications for PTSD, both are SSRIs.
Question 6: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is most commonly adapted for PTSD clients who also present with:
- Mild anxiety without comorbidities
- Severe emotion dysregulation and self-harm behaviors (Correct answer)
- Uncomplicated single-incident trauma
- Primary substance use disorders without affect instability
Correct answer: Severe emotion dysregulation and self-harm behaviors
DBT was developed for emotion dysregulation and is particularly useful when PTSD co-occurs with borderline personality features, chronic self-harm, or suicidality.
Question 7: The 'hot spot' technique in trauma-focused therapy refers to:
- Identifying the peak moment of distress within a traumatic memory for targeted processing (Correct answer)
- Assessing biological markers of hyperarousal
- Mapping geographic locations associated with trauma triggers
- Applying heat therapy to reduce somatic tension
Correct answer: Identifying the peak moment of distress within a traumatic memory for targeted processing
Hot spots are the most emotionally intense moments within a trauma narrative that are specifically targeted for prolonged exposure or EMDR reprocessing.
PTSD Evidence-Based Treatment & Intervention Techniques 2
Which component of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy involves the client revisiting traumatic memories through repeated verbal recounting?