Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study of a 19-Year-Old

Abstract

The following is a de-identified case study that presents the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) utilizing Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Names and other identifying information have been changed to protect the client’s privacy, with the name “Ruby” used in lieu of the client’s real name. At the time of treatment, this 19-year-old Caucasian female, was struggling to manage PTSD symptoms. Ruby was administered the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) and various self-report measures to aid in diagnoses and track treatment progress. Ruby’s primary diagnosis was PTSD with a secondary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder. She attended 14 treatment sessions over the course of five months utilizing the treatment protocol outlined in Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD: A Comprehensive Manual (Resick et al., 2017). The treatment included psychoeducation, self-monitoring, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral activation strategies. Treatment was still in progress during the writing of this report. Comparisons of pre-to-post test scores on diagnostic and other measures suggest Ruby had made some treatment gains in the areas of a decrease in symptom severity, specifically arousal symptoms of PTSD, and decrease in functional impairment, regarding home and social related tasks.