A scoping review of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing ptsd symptoms in military personnel

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely recognized as an effective evidence-based treatment for PTSD, particularly in military personnel. This study evaluates the efficacy of CBT for treating PTSD in this population. A systematic search of databases, including Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and PubMed, identified 1807 studies using keywords such as "military," "veterans," "cognitive therapy," and "posttraumatic stress disorder." After screening titles and abstracts, 312 full-text articles were reviewed, with 51 publications meeting the inclusion criteria, which focused on RCTs, observational studies, meta-analyses, cohort studies, and case-control studies published since 2010. Non-peer-reviewed or unrelated articles were excluded. Findings reveal that CBT is effective in managing both acute and chronic PTSD, offering long-term and short-term benefits after various traumatic experiences. CBT is shown to be at least as effective as other psychological therapies, solidifying its role as a key treatment approach for PTSD in military personnel.