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Prolonged Exposure Therapy

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Evidence Based Treatments for Trauma-Related Psychological Disorders

Abstract

Prolonged exposure (PE) is an efficacious and effective treatment for PTSD that has been studied extensively and disseminated around the world. PE is based on emotional processing theory (EPT; Foa and Kozak, Anxiety and the anxiety disorders, Erlbaum, 1985; Foa and Kozak, Psychological Bulletin, 99, 20–35, 1986), an influential theory of pathological anxiety and therapeutic recovery. In this chapter, we focus on EPT’s account of the development and treatment of PTSD. We then describe the components and process of PE and illustrate its delivery with a case example. Next, we discuss some of the most common clinical considerations in delivering PE, including co-occurring disorders and dropout, and approaches to overcome obstacles to maximize benefit from the treatment. We then summarize the extensive evidence supporting the efficacy and effectiveness of PE for PTSD related to a wide range of traumas. Finally, we review strategies to augment PE efficacy and discuss new models of PE delivery with potential to enhance treatment efficiency and increase access to treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA, USA

    Carmen P. McLean

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Carmen P. McLean

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Edna B. Foa

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Correspondence to Carmen P. McLean .

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  1. University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ulrich Schnyder

  2. Dissemination and Training Division, National Center for PTSD, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Marylène Cloitre

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McLean, C.P., Foa, E.B. (2022). Prolonged Exposure Therapy. In: Schnyder, U., Cloitre, M. (eds) Evidence Based Treatments for Trauma-Related Psychological Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97802-0_8

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