Recent News

For University of Vermont-related news, see below. For MaineHealth news, click here.

New Study Evaluating Treatment for PTSD in People Receiving Buprenorphine or Methadone Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence

January 10, 2025 by Christopher Pung

The prevalence of current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is many-fold higher in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) than in the general population. This study demonstrates that participants receiving MOUD who receive Prolonged Exposure (PE) tend to experience improvements in their PTSD symptoms without relapsing to substance use when they receive a sufficient “dose” of PE.

Kelly Peck, PhD

The prevalence of current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is many-fold higher in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) than in the general population. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is highly efficacious for improving PTSD symptoms. However, few studies have evaluated PE in individuals receiving medications for OUD (MOUD). Furthermore, the efficacy of PE has been limited by poor attendance, particularly among individuals receiving treatment for OUD and other substance use disorders.

The results of a trial recently published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence indicated that the combination of PE with financial incentives for attendance to therapy sessions increased therapy attendance and improved PTSD symptoms among individuals receiving MOUD treatment.

Kelly Peck, Ph.D led a randomized trial in collaboration with Jillian Giannini, M.A., Gary Badger, M.S., Rebecca Cole, B.A., and Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D. that sought to evaluate the initial efficacy of a novel protocol for improving PE attendance and PTSD symptoms among people receiving buprenorphine or methadone treatment. The trial was conducted at UVM between March 2021 and April 2023.   

A total of 52 adults with PTSD who were receiving buprenorphine or methadone treatment were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of three 12-week experimental conditions: continued MOUD treatment as usual (TAU), (b) MOUD + Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), or (c) MOUD + PE with financial incentives contingent upon PE session attendance (PE+). PE+ participants attended more therapy sessions (88%) than PE participants (33%). Although participants in all three groups reported significant improvements in clinician-assessed PTSD symptoms, PE+ participants reported greater improvements in PTSD symptoms than TAU participants and achieved higher rates of diagnostic remission than TAU and PE participants. Importantly, participants who received PE did not exhibit an increase in substance use during treatment.

This study demonstrates that participants receiving MOUD who receive PE tend to experience improvements in their PTSD symptoms without relapsing to substance use when they receive a sufficient “dose” of PE. Financial incentives and other methods for increasing PE attendance are critical for alleviating the distress and reducing personal and societal costs associated with PTSD among individuals receiving MOUD.

Read full story

Want to be our next news story?

Have you started a cool new project? Published a paper? Won an award? We want to hear from you! Contact us to be highlighted on our website, in our newsletters, and/or in our press releases.

Check out our newsletter archive:

December 2021

March 2022

August 2022

SpecialEditionAug2022

June 2023

Fall 2023

Winter 2024

Spring 2024

Summer 2024

Fall 2024

Winter 2025_Full Issue

Winter 2025_Upstream Health

Winter 2025_BERD Core

Winter 2025_Pilot Project Recipients

 

 

Questions?

Please email us with any questions or for assistance accessing services.

Become a Member

All NNE-CTR members have access to our services and support. Learn more about the free benefits of membership, and join today!