Clinical Topics & Methods Category

Cognitive Processing Therapy Or Relapse Prevention for Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder

A randomized clinical trial

1.5 CE Hour
245 members have taken this course
Skip to Course Registration Info
Enroll In This Course

About the Course

This study compared a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment (Cognitive Processing Therapy; CPT), an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) treatment (Relapse Prevention; RP), and assessment-only (AO) for those meeting diagnostic criteria for both PTSD and AUD. Participants with current PTSD/AUD were initially randomized to CPT, RP, or AO and assessed post-treatment or 6-weeks post-randomization (AO). AO participants were then re-randomized to CPT or RP. Follow-ups were at immediate post-treatment, 3-, and 12-months. Mixed effects intent-to-treat models compared conditions on changes in PTSD symptom severity, drinking days, and heavy drinking days. Results and conclusions are presented.

This course is based on the reading-based online article, Cognitive Processing Therapy Or Relapse Prevention for Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder created by Tracy L. Simpson, Ph.D. et al. in 2022.

Publication Details

Publication Date: PLoS ONE 17(11): e0276111.

Course Material Authors

Course Material Authors authored the material only, and were not involved in creating this CE course. They are identified here for your own evaluation of the relevancy of the material this course is based on.

Tracy L. Simpson, Ph.D.

Tracy L. Simpson, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at VA Puget Sound Health Care System and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She is a senior faculty member of the VA Puget Sound Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education. Dr. Simpson has more than 20 years of clinical and research experience with trauma and posttrauma sequelae, and has collaborated on various trials evaluating mindfulness-based interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She has also carried out trials evaluating pharmacologic and behavioral interventions for alcohol use disorders with and without concurrent PTSD.

Debra L. Kaysen, Ph.D.

Debra Kaysen, Ph.D. is affiliated with the University of Washington and Stanford University. Her area of specialty both in research and clinical work is in treatment for those who have experienced traumatic events including treatment of PTSD and related disorders. She has conducted critical studies on treatment of PTSD and/or substance use across a variety of populations (sexual minority women, Native Americans, sexual assault survivors, torture survivors, active duty military), settings (the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, primary care, rural settings), and modalities (telephone based, web-based).

Target Audience

Counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and social workers. This course is appropriate for all levels of knowledge.

Learning Objectives

After taking this activity, you should be able to:

  1. 1 Discuss the research to date regarding the incidence of and current treatments for comorbid PTSD and AUD.
  2. 2 Summarize RP and CPT.
  3. 3 Evaluate the effectiveness of RP and CPT for comorbid PTSD and AUD, including how the treatments compare to an integrated treatment addressing both diagnoses.

Disclosure to Learners

CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity – including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).

The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Material Authors

Any relevant financial disclosures for course material authors can be found in the article.

Commercial support

There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.

Wisconsin Psychology Examining Board

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Feb 1st, 2028
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
More Info

Joint Accreditation (JA)

1.5 Psychologist CE credit hour
1.5 Social Worker CE credit hour Clinical
Eligible until Feb 1st, 2028
In support of improving patient care, CE Learning Systems, LLC, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
More Info
Logo: Jointly Accredited Provider (tm) - Interprofessional Continuing Education

American Psychological Association (APA)

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Feb 1st, 2028
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
More Info
Logo: American Psychological Association

Course Material

References begin on page 18.

Access Course Material

Viewing External Material

This course material is hosted by , a web site separate from Impact CE. When you're done, just close the tab/window to return to this course page.

Exam Questions

All exam questions for the course are visible on this page for members of Impact CE.

Membership is free, and you can register today! You'll only pay when you're ready to purchase a course, or if you take advantage of the Unlimited Package.

If you're already a member, please sign in to see the exam questions for this and all other courses.

Enroll In This Course

Discuss this course

You can share your thoughts about this course after you pass the exam.

Sign In or Register to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, most likely. Look Up Your State Board for more detailed information. Logged-in site members will see the relevant approval information displayed in the Approvals tab for every course.

If you are having trouble using Impact CE, please contact us! We would be happy to accommodate your needs right away, and your input will help us make Impact CE more accessible for future users too.

Use the Enroll In This Course button and just follow the instructions! You don't pay anything until you're ready to take an exam.

To complete the course, review the course objectives, then review the material, and then pass the exam with a score of 75% or greater and lastly complete an evaluation.

Most of our self-paced courses are based on online articles available for free to the public. Some courses, such as those based on books, require that you purchase the material. Use the Materials tab for more info. Live courses simply require that you attend.

Your certificate(s) will be available to download or email immediately when you pass the course exam and complete the evaluation.

Yes! Use the Help widget at the bottom-right of the screen anywhere on Impact CE to search our help docs, or to ask our support team for help. Unlike most of our competitors, Impact CE has live US-based support reps to help you by email, chat, or phone.

Start your CE Journey now - complete your first course today, on us.

Try for free - no commitment required.

Start a Free Trial Course

Continuing Education

Copyright © 2026 CE Learning Systems LLC

Please Confirm