Cognitive Behavioral Social Rhythm Group Therapy for Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and sleep disturbance: Results from an open trial

Introduction Cognitive Behavioral Social Rhythm Therapy (CBSRT) is a group psychotherapy tailored for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and sleep disturbances. The aims of this study were to introduce and present initial outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Social Rhythm Therapy (CBSRT), a 12-week skills group therapy designed to improve sleep and mood by reducing chaotic or isolated lifestyles in Veterans with PTSD. Methods Twenty-four male Veterans with at least moderate PTSD and MDD participated in this open trial. Main outcomes were the daily sleep diary for sleep disturbances, the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) for PTSD, and the Hamilton Depression Rating scale for MDD. Results Veterans improved on all measures (a) with large within subject effects on PTSD symptoms, MDD symptoms, and sleep quality, and (b) with 46-58% of the sample receiving clinically significant benefits on MDD and PTSD symptoms respectively. The consistency of social rhythms was associated with the average reduction in global CAPS scores over time. Only 13% of participants dropped-out of the group therapy prematurely suggesting that this new group therapy is relatively well-tolerated by Veterans. Limitations Future research that employs a control condition is necessary to establish efficacy of CBSRT. Conclusions Data from this initial pilot study demonstrate that CBSRT may be an effective group treatment option for Veterans presenting with all three symptom complaints. These data also suggest that daily routine may be an important mechanism to consider in the treatment of PTSD symptoms comorbid with depression.