Therapeutic intensification in post-traumatic stress disorder worldwide: where do we stand?
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background: First-line treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are trauma-focused psychotherapies. To overcome the limitations of these approaches, intensive and massed programmes have shown promising outcomes.Objective: To provide a structured narrative literature review on recent advances in intensive and massed programmes for psychological trauma over the past five years.Methods: All clinical studies investigating massed or intensive therapies were included, including qualitative research.Results: Two main approaches of intensive or massed programmes have emerged, mainly in North America and Europe. These two models differ in their modalities (individual vs. group-based interventions) and in the extent of validation across diverse populations. Across the two approaches, both therapeutic alliance and trauma-related negative cognitions predict treatment response.Conclusion: Current evidence supports the continued use of intensive and massed programmes and underscores the need to further develop and refine them to address existing limitations.
Institutions: Inserm, Université de Lille, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen Normandie, Université de Caen Normandie, Queen's University, Northumbria University, Queens University, University of Salford, University of Worcester, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,704
OpenAlex ID: W7170605499