Personalized Cognitive Processing Therapy to Improve Everyday Functioning after PTSD
Official title: Personalizing Cognitive Processing Therapy with a Case Formulation Approach to Intentionally Target Impairment in Psychosocial Functioning Associated with PTSD
Funded at VA Boston Health Care System · NIH-11415401 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project personalizes Cognitive Processing Therapy to better target problems with daily life, relationships, and emotions in Veterans living with PTSD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003369-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415401 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
VA Boston Health Care System
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Galovski, Tara E — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Galovski, Tara E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how PTSD affects self-control and brain function
Researchers are studying how PTSD changes the brain’s control over thoughts and actions, and how this might affect Veterans’ daily lives and responses to treatment.
-
Ketamine to boost fear extinction and memory on PTSD patients
A study testing whether ketamine can help people with PTSD better relearn and forget fear when given in a guided treatment plan.
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Treating PTSD and opioid use disorder in residential care with Written Exposure Therapy (WEST)
A short, patient-friendly plan to adapt a proven PTSD therapy for people with opioid use disorder in residential treatment and test its practicality and impact.
-
Dynamic PTSD-Related Cognitive Risk in Aging WTC Responders
This project follows World Trade Center responders as they age to understand how PTSD symptoms relate to changes in thinking skills over time.
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Identifying brain proteins linked to PTSD and alcohol use disorder
Researchers are studying brain proteins that may contribute to PTSD and alcohol use disorder in US veterans to find new ways to help people who struggle with both conditions.
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Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Veterans with Social Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms
A clinical trial tests whether a flexible brain-behavior therapy helps veterans with social anxiety and PTSD symptoms feel better and engage more in daily life.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.