Frontiers in Psychology (Jun 2024)

Affect labeling: a promising new neuroscience-based approach to treating combat-related PTSD in veterans

  • Lisa J. Burklund,
  • Lisa J. Burklund,
  • Carolyn D. Davies,
  • Andrea Niles,
  • Jared B. Torre,
  • Lily Brown,
  • Meghan Vinograd,
  • Matthew D. Lieberman,
  • Michelle G. Craske

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1270424
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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IntroductionA significant portion of individuals exposed to combat-related trauma will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a severe, debilitating disorder with adverse impacts on both mental and physical functioning. Current treatments are effective for many individuals, however, there is a need for new treatment approaches to improve outcomes in PTSD and address the many existing barriers to seeking or completing treatment.MethodsIn this open trial pilot study, we tested a novel, brief, computer-based intervention for PTSD utilizing “affect labeling” that was inspired by recent advances in neuroscience with U.S. veterans.ResultsAs expected, pre-intervention clinical and fMRI neuroimaging data indicated that U.S. veterans with combat-related PTSD (N = 20) had significantly higher PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and amygdala reactivity to trauma cues than trauma-exposed healthy control veterans (N = 20). Veterans with PTSD who completed the affect labeling intervention (N = 13) evidenced reduced PTSD symptoms and these reductions were correlated with reductions in amygdala reactivity.DiscussionResults from this initial proof-of-concept study are intriguing and suggest that affect labeling training offers significant potential as a novel, cost-effective, computer-based intervention for PTSD. Implications and next steps for further developing affect labeling interventions for PTSD are discussed.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT05924399.

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