Impact of Intensive Treatment Programs for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder on Suicidal Ideation in Veterans and Service Members

Intensive treatment programs (ITPs) are treating veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal ideation (SI). The reduction of SI is a target to the abatement of suicide risk. This study examined whether ITPs utilizing PTSD treatments reduce SI and whether SI reduction is associated with PTSD symptom improvement. Veterans (N = 684) enrolled in a 2-week Prolonged Exposure (PE)-ITP or a 3-week Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)-ITP. Study data were drawn from self-report measures [PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5); item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)] administered at intake and throughout treatment. The ITPs produced large treatment effects for PTSD. SI scores also decreased over time. Lower PTSD symptom severity was associated with less severe SI in both the PE-ITP and CPT-ITP. In conclusion, both PE- and CPT-ITPs effectively treat PTSD and reduce SI among veterans in as little as 2 weeks of intensive PTSD treatment.