Cited by 120Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsSubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions for comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder

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Roberts, Neil P., Lotzin, Annett, Schäfer, Ingo·2022·European Journal of Psychotraumatology

Abstract

Background: The psychological treatment of comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) is clinically challenging, and outcomes are often poor. Objective: This paper describes a systematic review and meta-analysis which sought to establish the current efficacy for a number of established psychological approaches for adults and adolescents, in comparison to interventions for SUD alone, or other active approaches, following a pre-registered protocol. Method: This review followed PRISMA and Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Data extraction and risk of bias judgements using Cochrane criteria were undertaken by all authors. Primary outcomes were PTSD severity and substance use post-treatment. The quality of findings was assessed using GRADE. Following a comprehensive search, conducted to 13 September 2021, 27 studies were included. Results: We found a relatively high level of dropout across studies. In our main comparisons, we found no benefits for present-focused treatment approaches aimed at improving coping skills beyond those for SUD-only interventions. We found modest benefits for trauma-focused intervention plus SUD intervention post-treatment for PTSD (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.64, -0.08), and at 6-13 months for PTSD (SMD = -0.48, 95% CI -0.81, -0.15) and alcohol use (SMD = -0.23, 95% CI -0.44, -0.02). There were no benefits for cognitive restructuring interventions as a group, but we found a modest effect for integrated cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) for PTSD post-treatment (SMD = -0.33, 95% CI -0.62, -0.04). There was evidence of some benefit for trauma-focused intervention over present-focused intervention for PTSD from a single study and for reduction in dropout for incentivized attendance for trauma-focused intervention from another single study. Most findings were of very low quality. Conclusion: There is evidence that trauma-focused therapy and ICBT can improve PTSD for some individuals, but many patients do not fully engage with treatment and average treatment effects are modest. HIGHLIGHTS: For PTSD, evidence was strongest for trauma-focused CBT-based approaches, but effects were modest.There was little evidence of any added benefit on substance use, beyond that of standard addiction treatments, for any included intervention.Dropout from treatment was high.

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Crossref · 10.1080/20008198.2022.2041831

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  • Non-trauma-focused treatments are less effective than trauma-focused treatments and generally have lower effect sizes for PTSD, including in PTSD+SUD samples.

    “However, non-TF treatments are less effective than TF treatments and generally have lower effect sizes for the treatment of PTSD (e.g., V A/DoD PTSD Guideline, 2023), including in PTSD+SUD samples (Roberts et al., 2015; Roberts et al., 2022).”

    From Cannabis use and trauma-focused treatment for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders: A meta-analysis of individual patient data (2024) · cites this paper as Roberts et al., 2022

    In the Results (page unavailable), the review reports no PTSD benefit for present-focused treatments over SUD-only treatment, while trauma-focused treatment showed modest benefits. The Discussion (page unavailable) also reports one direct study favouring trauma-focused over present-focused treatment for PTSD severity. That supports the direction of the claim in PTSD+SUD samples, but a single direct comparison and very-low-quality findings do not establish that non-trauma-focused treatments generally have lower effect sizes. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Back, S. E., Foa, E. B., Killeen, T. K., Mills, K. L., Teesson, M., Carroll, K. M., et al. (2014). Concurrent treatment of PTSD and substance use disorders using prolonged exposure (COPE): Therapist manual. New York: Oxford University Press.
  2. NICE. (2007). Drug misuse in over 16s: psychosocial interventions. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Retrieved from www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg51 39480985
  3. NICE. (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Retrieved from www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng116 31211536
  4. Review Manager (RevMan) [Computer program]. Version 5.4.1 Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration. (2020).

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Authors
Roberts, N. P., Lotzin, A., & Schäfer, I.
Affiliations
  • Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (GB)
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
Corresponding author
Roberts, Neil P.
Venue
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Published
2022-05-03
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
2041831-2041831
ISSN
2000-8066 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4225331155
Cited by
120
References
89
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 16
FWCI
3.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • European Journal of Psychotraumatology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, comorbidities, psychological intervention, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive restructuring, treatment discontinuation, alcohol consumption, adolescents, treatment efficacy
MeSH terms
Psychosocial Intervention, Adolescent, Adult, Humans, Psychotherapy, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Substance-Related Disorders

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