This study will enhance the knowledge and understanding of concurrently treating individuals with substance use disorders and PTSD in hopes of facilitating treatment retention and increasing the likelihood for more positive treatment outcomes. Following NIDA's stage model for behavior therapies development, this study will take the next step building upon promising findings from Stage IA work with an exposure-based therapy modified to use safely with substance dependent individuals.
This study is a randomized clinical trial to assess the relative efficacy of two active treatment conditions versus an active monitoring control group for substance dependent individuals who also meet criteria for current PTSD according to the diagnostic standards set by the DSM-IV. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either: (1) Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE); (2) Relapse Prevention Treatment (RPT) or an (3) Active Monitoring Control Group (AMCG). The study is a three armed randomized controlled trial with repeated outcome measures at post treatment and 1-,2-, and 3-months post-treatment follow-up points for participants in COPE and RPT.
