# An efficient, exposure-based treatment for PTSD compared to Prolonged Exposure: A non-inferiority randomized trial

> **NIH VA I01** · VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Although Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is listed in the upcoming VA/DoD PTSD Practice
Guidelines as an evidence-based, recommended PTSD treatment, there are limited data
supporting the use of WET with veterans suffering from PTSD. Additional research is needed to
support the use of WET for the treatment of veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The goal of this
study is to investigate whether WET is non-inferior in the treatment of PTSD in a sample of
veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Men and women veterans diagnosed with PTSD will be
randomly assigned to either WET (n = 75) or Prolonged Exposure (PE; n = 75). PTSD symptom
severity will serve as the primary outcome. Assessments will be conducted by independent
evaluators at baseline, 10-, 20-, and 20-week post first treatment session. WET is expected to
be non-inferior to PE in reducing PTSD symptom severity. In addition, WET is expected to have
significantly lower treatment dropout rate relative to the first five sessions of PE (i.e., better
treatment engagement). Moderators of treatment outcome for both treatment conditions will
also be investigated. If WET is found to be non-inferior to the more time intensive PE treatment
then the VA will have evidence to support the use of a brief PTSD treatment, which will assist in
addressing the high demand for PTSD clinical services.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10694813
- **Project number:** 5I01CX001967-05
- **Recipient organization:** VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** DENISE M. SLOAN
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10694813

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10694813, An efficient, exposure-based treatment for PTSD compared to Prolonged Exposure: A non-inferiority randomized trial (5I01CX001967-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10694813. Licensed CC0.

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