Personalized Cognitive Processing Therapy to Improve Everyday Functioning after PTSD

Personalizing Cognitive Processing Therapy with a Case Formulation Approach to Intentionally Target Impairment in Psychosocial Functioning Associated with PTSD

NIH-funded research VA Boston Health Care System · NIH-11415401

This project personalizes Cognitive Processing Therapy to better target problems with daily life, relationships, and emotions in Veterans living with PTSD.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11415401 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would receive Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) tailored to the specific ways PTSD affects your thinking, feelings, and relationships using a personalized case formulation. Clinicians keep the proven core parts of CPT but focus sessions on the day-to-day and social problems that matter most to you. The project trains providers to deliver this tailored approach, treats Veterans through the VA system, and tracks changes in PTSD symptoms, functioning, and quality of life. The aim is to increase engagement and deliver more meaningful improvements in everyday functioning beyond symptom relief.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans with PTSD who continue to struggle with work, relationships, or everyday activities and are willing to try focused psychotherapy within the VA system.

Not a fit: People without PTSD, those unable or unwilling to engage in psychotherapy, or those whose primary problems are medical rather than psychological are unlikely to benefit from this tailored CPT approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, more Veterans with PTSD could gain better daily functioning, stronger relationships, and improved quality of life from CPT.

How similar studies have performed: CPT is a well-established effective therapy for PTSD, but intentionally personalizing it to target functional impairment is a newer approach with limited prior testing.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.