A Single-Arm Meta-Analysis of Cognitive Processing Therapy in Addressing Trauma-Related Negative Cognitions

Abstract

ABSTRACTCognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a first-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder designed to address cognitive “stuck points” connected to a patient’s trauma-related negative cognitions (NCs). Although CPT has well-established efficacy, the ability of CPT to address NCs remains understudied. The purpose of this study was to conduct a single-arm meta-analysis to determine the overall effect of CPT in attenuating NCs pre- to posttreatment across multiple clinical trials. A review of the existing literature was performed with only peer-reviewed clinical trials included in the meta-analysis. Nine studies with data from 583 participants were entered into the meta-analysis. CPT was found to have a large effect size in reducing NCs from pre- to posttreatment. Findings are limited by the single-arm nature of analyses and heterogeneity in included trial methodology (e.g., gender, trauma type, civilian versus veteran).