Best Practices for Approaching Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

• Published in: Journal of traumatic stress Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 623 - 633
• Main Authors: Hagerty, Sarah L., Wielgosz, Joseph, Kraemer, Jaclyn, Nguyen, Hong V., Loew, Dorene, Kaysen, Debra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2020
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Betacoronavirus; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - methods; Continuity of Patient Care; Coronavirus Infections - psychology; COVID-19; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Humans; Implosive Therapy - methods; Pandemics; Patient Compliance; Pneumonia, Viral - psychology; Post traumatic stress disorder; SARS-CoV-2; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy
• ISSN: 0894-9867; 1573-6598; 1573-6598
• DOI: 10.1002/jts.22583

The COVID‐19 pandemic presents major challenges for mental health care providers. In particular, providers who treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are now tasked with determining whether to initiate trauma‐focused therapy during the pandemic and, if so, whether and how to adapt treatment. The purpose of this communication is to identify and organize key considerations for whether and how to deliver commonly used evidence‐supported therapy protocols for trauma treatment—specifically, cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy—during the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic for adults who currently meet the criteria for PTSD. Based on relevant public health and clinical literature, we present a structured guide that can be used by treatment teams and individual providers to evaluate whether initiating CPT or PE is indicated given a particular patient–provider pair and system context amidst pandemic conditions. In addition, we suggest appropriate action steps, including problem‐solving strategies, evidence‐informed modifications to CPT and PE, and alternative intervention approaches.