An Overview of Written Exposure Therapy: A Brief Treatment for PTSD

Abstract

This article provides an overview of written exposure therapy (WET), which is a brief treatment approach for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The development of the treatment is described and the research supporting its efficacy and effectiveness is discussed. To date, research has found WET to be an effective treatment approach for PTSD, having treatment outcomes that are noninferior to more time-intensive PTSD treatments. The dropout rates for WET have generally been low. Research has examined WET with a variety of trauma samples delivered in diverse settings and in multiple countries using different language translations without modifications to the protocol. Overall, the rapidly growing literature indicates that WET is an effective brief treatment for PTSD that can be used in many different settings. Recommendations for future research include additional studies examining implementation of treatment as well as dissemination work. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2024;54(3):e70–e74.]