Prolonged Exposure TherapyTrauma BPE Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Injured Individuals Admitted to a Level I Trauma Center

Participants in the Treatment as Usual group (TAU) will not receive the Brief PE therapy, but the standard clinical treatment received by all patients admitted to BUMC, BSWMC Temple or FH/MCW trauma centers. Treatment as usual participants will have follow-up assessments at 1, 3, and 6 months from Baseline.

Participants in the experimental group will receive Brief Prolonged Exposure Therapy. In addition to the standard clinical treatment received by all patients at BUMC, BSWMC Temple and FH/MCW (treatment as usual), participants randomized to the intervention condition will also receive three 60-minute sessions of Brief PE. Participants in the BPE group will complete a screener and then questionnaires/interviews at 1, 2, and 6 months from Baseline.

Standard clinical treatment received by all patients admitted to BUMC, BSWMC Temple or FH/MCW trauma centers. At BUMC and FH/MCW, this may include an evaluation by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist and continued follow-up psychotherapy and/or medication as needed. At BSWMC Temple this may include an evaluation by a licensed psychiatrist and follow up treatment as needed. In all locations this therapy does not consist of trauma-focused therapy and will be summarized in the analysis as a part of standard of care.

Brief PE will include 3 therapy sessions, each lasting approximately 60 minutes. The treatment is manualized and has been successfully implemented and evaluated in other challenging environments (i.e., Emergency Department. Trauma center). Brief PE includes education about common reactions to trauma, breathing retraining, prolonged (repeated) imaginal exposure to trauma memories, repeated in vivo/behavioral exposure to situations that participants are avoiding due to trauma-related fear, and discussion of thoughts and feelings related to exposure exercises. This discussion addresses patients' unrealistic beliefs about themselves and the world. In addition, patients are given homework to complete between each session (breathing practice, listening to the session recording, and completing behavioral exposures).