Client and therapist experiences with the Processing of Positive Memories Technique (PPMT) in a randomized controlled trial: insights for protocol refinement.

Background

The Processing of Positive Memories Technique (PPMT) is a brief, memory-based intervention designed to enhance access to detailed positive autobiographical memories (AMs) in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although research suggests that PPMT is feasible and may reduce PTSD symptoms, little is known about client and therapist experiences with PPMT when delivered to individuals with diagnostic PTSD.

Objective

In a pilot randomised controlled trial, PPMT was compared to Supportive Counseling. Seventy clients with PTSD were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive five weekly therapy sessions, and then clients in the PPMT arm and study therapists were invited to provide feedback on the format, content, feasibility and acceptability of PPMT.Method: Twenty-six clients with PPMT assigned to the PPMT condition and six therapists who delivered PPMT completed quantitative and qualitative feedback surveys one-week post-treatment.

Results

Clients and therapists reported strong feasibility and acceptability of PPMT. Among clients, 52.3% reported that PPMT became easier with practice, 45.5% indicated they would participate in PPMT again, and 38.1% described it as helpful overall. Therapists uniformly endorsed PPMT as a valuable adjunct to trauma-focused treatments (100%) and viewed it as feasible for clinicians to implement due to its structured format (66.7%). Clients described emotional and cognitive benefits of narrating and positive AMs, including increased access to positive emotions, improved self-reflection, and greater present-oriented awareness. Several areas for protocol refinement were identified, including additional support to help retrieve positive AMs, clarifying the rationale for protocol elements such as using the present tense for narration, the exclusion of trauma content, and how recalling positive AMs can help in trauma recovery; as well as greater flexibility in number of sessions.

Conclusion

Findings support PPMT as a feasible and acceptable intervention and provide guidance for optimising its clinical implementation.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05523453..