Implementing group therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder within a primary care setting: A pilot study

• Group therapy for PTSD was possible to implement and effective in an FQHC setting. • Vulnerable groups (gender minorities, low SES) engaged in group trauma therapy. • Relational aspects of group therapy may be key in treating interpersonal trauma effects. • PTSD group treatment in primary care may have the potential to reach greater numbers of patients than individual therapy. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions and high rates of medical service utilization. Given that PTSD is highly prevalent in the primary care setting, group therapy delivered within this setting has the potential to treat large numbers of patients. To date, few studies have examined the feasibility or effectiveness of group therapy for PTSD within primary care. A pilot study of a PTSD group therapy intervention based on the Trauma Information Group model was conducted in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Across 9 cohorts, 32 individuals with PTSD completed 8–10 group therapy sessions. Self-reported PTSD severity was assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) at baseline and post-treatment. Fifty percent of participants had a PTSD treatment response (PCL-5 score reduction ≥10) following group therapy and paired t -tests demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in PCL-5 scores from pre- to post-treatment. Patient demographic characteristics and psychiatric comorbities were not associated with treatment response. The small sample size, demographic characteristics, and FQHC setting potentially limit the generalizability of these findings. Treatment dropout rates and associated factors also were not examined. The Trauma Information Group treatment for PTSD was feasible to implement within a low resourced primary care setting and led to improvement in PTSD symptoms in this pilot study. These findings suggest that offering group therapy for PTSD within primary care could improve access to effective treatment and warrant future research to examine feasibility and effectiveness in this setting.