# Comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy and patient acceptance of combined antidepressant and cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

## TL;DR

Combining antidepressants with cognitive behavioral therapy improves PTSD treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction.

## Contribution

Demonstrates that combining antidepressants and CBT improves symptom relief, reduces side effects, and increases treatment adherence in PTSD patients.

## Key findings

- Combination therapy leads to higher medication satisfaction and lower side effect frequency compared to antidepressant monotherapy.
- Patients in the combination group showed higher medication compliance rates and reduced insomnia symptoms.
- The study suggests that integrating CBT with antidepressants enhances treatment effectiveness and precision for PTSD.

## Abstract

To improve treatment outcomes and enhance the prognosis of patients with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), the efficacy and patient acceptance of antidepressant treatment for PTSD are comprehensively evaluated, and its clinical application value is explored.

A retrospective study is conducted, with 200 patients divided into a medication group and a combination group, with 100 patients in each group. The medication group receives a single antidepressant (primarily a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) for 8 weeks, while the combination group receives the same medication plus a 60-minute weekly trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Symptom severity, side effects, and adherence are assessed using standardized clinical interviews and self-rating scales. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression (MLR) are used to explore the relationships between these indicators.

The combination group has higher medication satisfaction (p < 0.001), lower frequency of side effects (insomnia: 0.70 ± 0.42 times vs. 1.25 ± 0.47 times, p < 0.001), and higher medication compliance rate (93.0% vs. 85.0%, p < 0.001).

Compared with antidepressant monotherapy, combining antidepressant and CBT treatment significantly alleviates patient symptoms, reduces side effects, and improves treatment adherence and satisfaction. This study provides a new perspective for tailoring treatment plans and improving treatment precision and effectiveness.