Disorders - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Miller, R. L., Moran, M., Shomaker, L. B., Seiter, N., Sanchez, N., Verros, M., Rayburn, S., Johnson, S., Lucas-Thompson, R.
Emerging evidence suggests the coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) pandemic is adversely affecting adolescents' mental health and health behaviors, particularly among those with preexisting mental health
conditions and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. However, direct tests of changes in health outcomes among vulnerable adolescents from before to
during COVID-19 are limited. In addition, little is known about how to buffer adolescents, particularly those who are most vulnerable, against
stress-related decrements in health. This randomized controlled trial begins to fill these gaps in the literature by exploring changes in mental
health, health behaviors, executive function, emotion regulation, and mindfulness among vulnerable adolescents involved in a mentoring program during
the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examined to what extent there were protective benefits of incorporating mindfulness training within a mentoring
program for buffering adolescents from negative pandemic health effects. Thirty-five adolescents (Mage = 12.9, 37% female) and 32 parents (Mage =
44.75, 80% female) completed questionnaires at baseline (February 2020) and follow-up (July 2020). There were few significant reductions in health;
instead, on average, youth reported improvements in sleep, emotion regulation, executive function, and mindfulness over time. Adolescents randomized
to mentoring + mindfulness displayed significantly less posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and emotional impulsivity at follow-up,
compared to the mentoring-as-usual condition. These pilot findings suggest that mentoring with a mindfulness training component may offer an
effective strategy for protecting adolescents from deteriorations in health outcomes during COVID-19. Further, there may be unique benefits of
mindfulness training for vulnerable youth as a way to adapt to stressful events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
School psychology (Washington, D.C.), 36(5) : 293-302
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Mindfulness based
therapy, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
McTavish, J.
R., Santesso, N., Amin, A., Reijnders, M., Ali, M. U., Fitzpatrick-Lewis, D., MacMillan, H. L.
Background: In this manuscript, we summarize the
findings of a systematic review that informed the development of the World Health Organization's recommendations related to psychosocial
interventions for child and adolescent sexual abuse. Method(s): Systematic searches across 14 databases were conducted to retrieve any published
randomized controlled trials of psychosocial interventions addressing mental health outcomes among children and adolescents exposed to sexual abuse
who have experienced symptoms. We assessed study risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and certainty of the evidence using GRADE (Grading
of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) criteria. Result(s): Twenty-four articles representing fifteen studies were included in
the systematic review. Only two studies were conducted in low- or middle-income countries. Few studies could be pooled together because of
differences in interventions and comparators. Due to the small numbers of participants and very serious concerns with risk of bias, we are very
uncertain about the benefits of interventions provided to children alone and without the involvement of their caregivers. However, cognitive behavior
therapy (CBT) with a trauma focus provided to children and involving their caregivers may reduce some mental health symptoms associated with sexual
abuse experiences. Discussion(s): The findings suggest that more and larger studies are needed to evaluate the effects of psychosocial interventions
for children and adolescents exposed to sexual abuse who preside in low- and middle-income countries. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42016039656
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Child Abuse and Neglect, Part 1.
116 (no pagination) :
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any)
Matthijssen,
S. J., Brouwers, T. C., van-den-Hout, M. A., Klugkist, I. G., deJongh, A.
Background: Visual Schema Displacement Therapy (VSDT) is a novel therapy for the treatment of fears and trauma-related
mental health problems including PTSD. VSDT proved to be effective in reducing emotionality of aversive memories in healthy individuals in two
previous randomized controlled trials and outperformed both a non-active control condition (CC) and an abbreviated version of EMDR therapy, a well-
established first-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Objectives: In an effort to enhance the understanding concerning the efficacy of
VSDT, and to determine its active components, a dismantling study was conducted in individuals with disturbing memories in which the effects of VSDT
were tested against EMDR therapy, a non-active CC and three different VSDT-protocols, each excluding or altering a hypothesized active component.
Method: Participants (N = 144) were asked to recall an emotional aversive event and were randomly assigned to one of these six interventions, each
lasting 8 minutes. Emotional disturbance and vividness of participants' memories were rated before and after the intervention and at one and four-
week follow-up. Results: Replicatory Bayesian analyses supported hypotheses in which VSDT was superior to the CC and the EMDR condition in reducing
emotionality, both directly after the intervention and at one week follow-up. However, at four-week follow-up, VSDT proved equal to EMDR while both
treatments were superior to the CC. Concerning vividness the data also showed support for hypotheses predicting VSDT being equal to EMDR and both
being superior to the CC in vividness reduction. Further analyses specifying differences between the abbreviated VSDT protocols detected no
differences between these conditions. Conclusion: It remains unclear how VSDT yields its positive effects. Because VSDT appears to be unique and
effective in decreasing emotionality of aversive memories, replication of the results in clinical samples is needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c)
2021 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Chinese) : (VSDT) -PTSD VSDT, (CC) ---EMDR : VSDT, -, VSDT EMDR, CCVSDT (-) : N = 144-, 8-, -, : -
VSDTCCEMDR, , VSDTEMDRCC, VSDTEMDRCCVSDT- : VSDTVSDT, (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Spanish) Antecedentes:
La terapia de desplazamiento del esquema visual (VSDT por sus siglas en ingles) es una terapia novedosa para tratar los miedos y los problemas de
salud mental relacionados con el trauma, incluido el TEPT. La VSDT demostro ser eficaz para reducir la emocionalidad de los recuerdos aversivos en
individuos sanos en dos ensayos previos controlados aleatorizados y supero tanto a una condicion de control no activa (CC por sus siglas en ingles)
como a una version abreviada de terapia EMDR, una terapia de primera linea bien establecida para el trastorno de estres postraumatico. Objetivos: En
un esfuerzo para mejorar la comprension de la eficacia de VSDT y para determinar sus componentes activos, se realizo un estudio de desmantelamiento
en individuos con recuerdos perturbadores en el que se probaron los efectos del VSDT en contraste con la terapia EMDR, una CC no activa y tres
diferentes protocolos de VSDT, cada uno excluyendo o alterando un componente activo hipotetico. Metodo: Se pidio a los participantes (N= 144) que
recordaran un evento aversivo emocionalmente y fueron asignados aleatoriamente a una de las seis intervenciones, cada una con una duracion de 8
minutos. La alteracion emocional y la viveza de los recuerdos de los participantes fueron calificados antes y despues de la intervencion y en el
seguimiento luego de una y cuatro semanas. Resultados: Los analisis bayesianos replicativos apoyaron la hipotesis en las que VSDT fue superior a las
condiciones CC y EMDR en la reduccion de la emocionalidad, tanto directamente despues de la intervencion y a la semana de seguimiento. Sin embargo, a
las cuatro semanas de seguimiento, VSDT resulto ser igual a EMDR mientras que ambos tratamientos fueron superiores al CC. Con respecto a la viveza,
los datos tambien mostraron apoyo hacia las hipotesis que predicen que VSDT es igual a EMDR y que ambos son superiores a CC en la reduccion de la
viveza. Los analisis adicionales que especifican las diferencias entre los protocolos VSDT abreviados no detectaron diferencias entre estas
condiciones. Conclusiones: No esta claro como VSDT produce sus efectos positivos. Debido a que VSDT parece ser unico y efectivo en disminuir la
emocionalidad de los recuerdos aversivos, se requiere la replicacion de estos estos resultados en muestras clinicas. (PsycInfo Database Record (c)
2021 APA, all rights reserved)
European Journal of Psychotraumatology Vol
12(1), 2021, ArtID 1883924, 12(1) :
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), Other Psychological Interventions
Maoz, I., Zubedat, S., Dolev, T., Aga-Mizrachi, S., Bloch, B., Michaeli, Y., Eshed, Y., Grinstein, D., Avital, Avi
Background: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms include re-experiencing,
avoidance, hyperarousal, and cognitive deficits, reflecting both emotional and cognitive dysregulation. In recent years, non-pharmacological
approaches and specifically animal-assisted therapy\rhave been shown to be beneficial for a variety of disorders such as Attention-Deficit/
\rHyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and PTSD. However, little is mentioned in\rthe literature about the reciprocal effects of the
animal - human interaction.\rObjective: To evaluate the effects of a one-year dog training programme on PTSD symptomatology in youngsters with PTSD
and on dogs' behaviour.\rMethods: Fifty-three adolescents, previously exposed to interpersonal trauma, were clinically\rdiagnosed with PTSD and
assigned to a dog-training programme group (n = 30) and a control\rgroup (n = 23) that engaged in other training programmes (e.g. cooking,
hairstyling, etc.). Both\rgroups were evaluated at baseline and following 12-months by The Clinician-Administered\rPTSD Scale for DSM-5 in Children
and Adolescents (CAPS-CA-5) and Beck-Depression Inventory\r(BDI). Additionally, we physiologically measured both emotional and attention
dysregulation.\rResults: Post-12-months training, a significant alleviation of PTSD symptomatology accompanied by lower depression severity was
observed in the dog-training group, compared with a\rinsignificant recovery in the control group. Furthermore, improved emotional and attentional
\rregulation was observed in the dog-training group. Measuring the dogs' behaviour revealed\rincreased anxiety and decreased selective attention
performance, which was inversely correlated with the beneficial effects observed in the dog-training programme group.\rConclusions: Our findings
emphasize the role of emotional and attentional regulations on the\rdog - handler interface, as evidence-based support for the beneficial effects of
the dog-training\rprogramme, as either a non-pharmacological intervention or as complementary to antidepressants treatment of PTSD. Though
pharmacological treatments increase the patients'\rwell-being by treating certain PTSD symptoms, our suggested dog-training programme seems\rto
influence the PTSD diagnostic status, thus may be implemented in civilians and veterans\rwith PTSD.
European Journal of Psychotraumatology Vol 12(1), 2021, ArtID
1995264, 12(1) :
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Other complementary & alternative
interventions
Karadag, M., Topal, Z., Ezer, R. N., Gokcen, C.
Self-help treatments are an important intervention tool, with high accessibility and ease of
application. To our knowledge, no research has previously been conducted on any self-help intervention derived from eye movement desensitization and
reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. In this study, we evaluated the mental health status of children not directly affected by the pandemic and investigated
the effects of using an EMDR-derived self-help intervention in children as a low-intensity treatment. The mental health status of 178 children was
evaluated online via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) and Childhood Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI). Then,
children were randomly assigned to intervention and waitlist. A booklet containing EMDR-derived techniques was sent via the school online portal and
the intervention was conducted. Posttests were administered 4 weeks later. The attrition rate was 45.5%, with 97 children completing the trial
(intervention: 52; waitlist: 45). At baseline, 76.4% of children showed posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) above threshold. Results showed a
statistically significant decrease in the posttest PTSS scores for the intervention group compared to waitlist. The intervention group had
significant pre-post improvement on all but one subscale, while the waitlist group showed a significant increase in state anxiety on the STAIC. In
conclusion, posttraumatic stress was found to be high in children during the COVID-19 outbreak period, and EMDR-derived self-help intervention
appeared to be an effective psychosocial intervention tool. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 15(2) : 114-
126
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), Self-help, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Hamid, S., Dashash, M., Latifeh, Y.
BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that mental (MH)
and oral health (OH) of displaced children are negatively affected during the wartime. This may be a result of general self-neglect and psychological
suffering. Therefore, previous studies suggested that psychosocial support (PSS) is essential during and after humanitarian crises to prevent
immediate and long-term MH and OH problems. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term approach in improving (MH) and
(OH) of displaced children suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD(S): A quasi-randomized clinical trial study was carried out
including (118) displaced children suffering from PTSD. The Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI) was utilized for the diagnosis of
PTSD. Children were assigned into two groups (intervention and control group). Children in the intervention group were enrolled in a 6-week PSS
program that contained oral health educational components designed especially for this study. Clinical evaluation included plaque index (PI) and
gingival index (GI). Oral health related Quality of life (OHRQoL) was also evaluated using child perception questionnaire (CPQ11-14). Study variables
were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the program for both groups. Wilcoxon rank test and t-test for independent samples were used for data
analysis. RESULT(S): A total of 118 children, aged between 9 and 14 years, participated in the recent study (mean age 11.0+/-1.4). All participated
children were previously diagnosed with PTSD. At baseline, there were no significant differences in the study variables between groups (P>0.05). At
the end of the program, children in the intervention group had significantly decreased PI, GI, CPQ11-14 and CPTSD-RI compared to their baseline
scores (P=0.000). In contrast, controls showed no differences at the end of the program (P>0.05). Children in the intervention group had
significantly (P=0.000) lower PI (1.52+/-0.55) and GI (1.48+/-0.56) when compared to controls (PI=1.89+/-0.39, GI=2.14+/-0.32) post program.
Moreover, the intervention group showed remarkable decline (P<0.001) in their CPQ11-14 (47.16+/-12.24) and CPTSD-RI (34.41+/-12.23) scores compared
to controls (CPQ11-14 = 72.65+/-14.47, CPTSD-RI=47.91+/-14.24) post program. CONCLUSION(S): The designed approach could have positive improvements in
PTSD symptoms, (OH) and (OHRQoL) of displaced children. Integration between (MH) and (OH) services should be considered during and after humanitarian
crises to prevent immediate and long-term MH and OH problems. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry
(ACTRN12619000285156), Date registered: 25/02/2019, retrospectively registered. https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?
id=377001&isReview=true .
BMC oral health, 21(1) : 58
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art, Relaxation
Gosmann, N. P., De-Abreu-Costa, M., De-Barros-Jaeger, M., Motta, L. S., Frozi, J., Spanemberg, L., Manfro, G. G., Cuijpers, P., Pine, D. S., Salum, G. A.
Background Anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and stress-related disorders frequently co-occur, and patients often
present symptoms of several domains. Treatment involves the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine
reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), but data on comparative efficacy and acceptability are lacking. We aimed to compare the efficacy of SSRIs, SNRIs, and
placebo in multiple symptom domains:in patients with these diagnoses over the lifespan through a 3-level network meta-analysis. Methods and findings
We searched for published and unpublished randomized controlled trials that aimed to assess the efficacy of SSRIs or SNRIs in participants (adults
and children) with diagnosis of any anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, or stress-related disorder in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane Library from
inception to 23 April 2015, with an update on 11 November 2020. We supplemented electronic database searches with manual searches for published and
unpublished randomized controlled trials registered in publicly accessible clinical trial registries and pharmaceutical companies' databases. No
restriction was made regarding comorbidities with any other mental disorder, participants' age and sex, blinding of participants and researchers,
date of publication, or study language. The primary outcome was the aggregate measure of internalizing symptoms of these disorders. Secondary
outcomes included specific symptom domains and treatment discontinuation rate. We estimated standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 3-level network
meta-analysis with random slopes by study for medication and assessment instrument. Risk of bias appraisal was performed using the Cochrane
Collaboration's risk of bias tool. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017069090). We analyzed 469 outcome measures from 135 studies (n =
30,245). Medication (SSRI or SNRI) was: More effective than placebo for the aggregate measure of internalizing symptoms (SMD -0.56, 95% CI -0.62 to
-0.51, p < 0.001), for all symptom domains, and in patients from all diagnostic categories. We also found significant results when restricting to the
most used assessment instrument for each diagnosis; nevertheless, this restriction led to exclusion of 72.71% of outcome measures. Pairwise
comparisons revealed only small differences between medications in efficacy and acceptability. Limitations include the moderate heterogeneity found
in most outcomes and the moderate risk of bias identified in most of the trials. Conclusions In this study, we observed that SSRIs and SNRIs were
effective for multiple symptom domains, and in patients from all included diagnostic categories. We found minimal differences between medications
concerning efficacy and acceptability. This 3-level network meta-analysis contributes robust evidence to the ongoing discussion about the true
benefit of antidepressants, with a significantly larger quantity of data and higher statistical power than previous studies. The 3-level approach
allowed us to properly assess the efficacy of these medications on internalizing psychopathology, avoiding potential biases related to the exclusion
of information due to distinct assessment instruments, and to explore the multilevel structure of transdiagnostic efficacy. Copyright © 2021 Public
Library of Science. All rights reserved.
PLoS
Medicine, 18(6) :
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
(SNRIs), Antidepressants
(any)
Dumarkaite, A., Truskauskaite-
Kuneviciene, I., Andersson, G., Mingaudaite, J., Kazlauskas, E.
Objectives: A substantial proportion of trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD) continue
to experience symptoms even after trauma-focused therapies. Internet-based interventions could facilitate access to treatment for PTSD and CPTSD. The
current pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based internet intervention on PTSD and CPTSD symptoms. Methods: A randomized
controlled trial (RCT) design with two measurement points (pre-test and post-test) was used to investigate the effects of a structured mindfulness-
based internet intervention on PTSD and CPTSD symptoms as well as anxiety, depression, and positive mental health. In total, 70 university students
with high levels of PTSD and CPTSD symptoms based on ICD-11 criteria participated in the study: 31 in the intervention group and 39 in the waiting
list control group. Results: We found that the mindfulness-based internet intervention reduced CPTSD disturbances in self-organization (DSO) symptoms
(ES = - 0.48 [- 0.96; 0.00]), particularly negative self-concept (ES = - 0.72 [- 1.21; - 0.24]) and disturbances in relationships (ES = - 0.55 [-
1.03; - 0.07]). Moreover, the intervention reduced the symptoms of PTSD sense of threat (ES = - 0.48 [- 0.96; - 0.01]) and promoted positive mental
health (ES = 0.51 [0.03; 0.99]). High user satisfaction and good usability of the intervention were reported. Conclusions: Promising treatment
effects were found, indicating that mindfulness-based internet intervention can reduce CPTSD symptoms and have a positive effect on mental health
among youth in general. The findings of the current study contribute to the further development of trauma care using internet-delivered
interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Mindfulness, 12(11) : 2754-
2766
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Mindfulness based
therapy
Dorsey, S., Triplett, N., Akiba, C., Lucid, L., Wasonga, A., Whetten, K.
Objectives: The majority of the
world's children reside in low- and middle-income countries, yet few treatments have been tested in these settings. We present data from an NIMH-
funded randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness and acceptability of lay-counselor-delivered trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) in a sample of
640 youth who experienced death of 1 or both parents in Tanzania and Kenya. Method(s): Child clinical outcomes were assessed at the end of treatment
and at 12 months posttreatment. Acceptability was assessed via qualitative interviews 1 year after treatment with children and guardians, with 160
interviews randomly selected for qualitative coding, following a grounded theory approach. Result(s): In the completed randomized controlled trial,
at posttreatment, TF-CBT was more effective than usual care (UC) in reducing posttraumatic stress (PTS) among children who experienced parental death
in 3 of 4 sites: rural Kenya (Cohen d = 1.04), urban Kenya (d = 0.56), and urban Tanzania (d = 0.45). At the 12-month follow-up, TF-CBT was more
effective in reducing PTS only among children in rural (d = 0.86) and urban (d = 0.99) Kenya. At the 12-month follow-up in Tanzania, children who
received TF-CBT and UC had comparable rates of improvement. The intervention was highly acceptable. Child-level benefits were mentioned by almost all
guardians (149/160), including improvements in child behavior, mood, feelings, and/or thinking. Children also frequently cited improvements
(128/160), including fewer loss-related bad memories, thoughts, and/or feelings, and general improvements in mood or feelings. Few guardians or
children mentioned challenges or dislikes, other than the program being viewed as too short. Tanzanian guardians were more likely to mention
community-level benefits from sharing knowledge in their communities. Other qualitative coding work, focused on counselor session notes, also
suggests that Tanzanian guardians were more likely to share learned skills and lessons from TF-CBT in their communities. Conclusion(s): TF-CBT
demonstrated the greatest effectiveness in Kenya and high acceptability in both Kenya and Tanzania. The qualitative results provide some context for
treatment outcomes and inform next directions. PTSD, BRV, EBP Copyright © 2021
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, 60(10 Supplement) : S313
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-
CBT)
Dawson, R.
L., Calear, A. L., McCallum, S. M., McKenna, S., Nixon, R. D. V., OKearney, R.
We undertook a systematic review to assess the efficacy of exposure-based writing
therapies (WTs) for trauma-exposed adults with subthreshold or clinical levels of posttraumatic stress disorder. Four databases (PsycINFO, Medline,
Wiley Online, PILOTS) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of exposure-based WTs. A total of 13 RCTs that reported on results from
17 WT versus control comparisons were included. The primary outcomes were posttraumatic stress symptom severity at posttreatment and/or clinical
response. An overall unclear or high risk of bias was identified in 84.6% of studies. In comparison to both waitlist k = 3, Hedges' g = -0.97, 95%
CI [-1.20, -0.73], and placebo writing conditions, k = 9, Hedges' g = -0.48, 95% CI [-0.87, -0.08], WTs were more beneficial to participants. There
was no evidence of a difference between WTs that were longer in duration compared to other psychotherapy, k = 2; pooled OR = 1.42; 95% CI [0.83,
2.43]. These findings indicate that exposure-based WTs are effective when compared to waitlist and placebo writing control conditions. The evidence
needs to be considered in the context of the modest number of studies conducted to date, the high methodological heterogeneity between the studies,
and the high or unclear risk of bias across many studies. Further research is needed to increase the evidence base regarding the efficacy of WTs for
posttraumatic stress. Future research should also measure the mediators and predictors of outcomes to further develop protocols and understand which
variants of WTs work for different populations or individuals. Copyright © 2020 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Journal of traumatic stress, 34(1) : 81-91
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Narrative exposure therapy (NET), Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art
Covers, M. L. V., de-Jongh, A., Huntjens, R. J. C., de-Roos, C., van-den-Hout, M., Bicanic, I. A.
E.
Background: About 40% of rape victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within three months after the assault.
Considering the high personal and societal impact of PTSD, there is an urgent need for early (i.e. within three months after the incident)
interventions to reduce post-traumatic stress in victims of rape. Objective(s): To assess the effectiveness of early intervention with eye movement
desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress, feelings of guilt and shame, sexual dysfunction, and
other psychological dysfunction (i.e. general psychopathology, anxiety, depression, and dissociative symptoms) in victims of rape. Method(s): This
randomized controlled trial included 57 victims of rape, who were randomly allocated to either two sessions of EMDR therapy or treatment as usual
('watchful waiting') between 14 and 28 days post-rape. Psychological symptoms were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 8 and 12 weeks
post-rape. Linear mixed models and ANCOVAs were used to analyse differences between conditions over time. Result(s): Within-group effect sizes of the
EMDR condition (d = 0.89 to 1.57) and control condition (d = 0.79 to 1.54) were large, indicating that both conditions were effective. However, EMDR
therapy was not found to be more effective than watchful waiting in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms, general psychopathology, depression,
sexual dysfunction, and feelings of guilt and shame. Although EMDR therapy was found to be more effective than watchful waiting in reducing anxiety
and dissociative symptoms in the post-treatment assessment, this effect disappeared over time. Conclusion(s): The findings do not support the notion
that early intervention with EMDR therapy in victims of rape is more effective than watchful waiting for the reduction of psychological symptoms,
including symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Further research on the effectiveness of early interventions, including watchful waiting, for this
specific target group is needed. Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 12
(1) : 1943188
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
Contractor, A. A., Caldas, S. V., Banducci, A. N., Armour, C.
Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may impact cognitive processes underlying encoding and
retrieval of positive memories. Contractor and colleagues thus proposed a Positive Memory-PTSD model outlining hypothesized pathways (e.g., improved
cognitions and affect) linking active processing of positive memories and PTSD symptoms. In the current study, we empirically explored direct and
indirect pathways of the Positive Memory-PTSD model including relations between presence/types of processing memory methodology, posttrauma
maladaptive cognitions, positive/negative affect, and PTSD symptom severity. Method(s): We randomly assigned 65 students reporting trauma histories
to time-matched narrating (identifying and sharing details of elicited positive memories), writing (identifying and writing details of elicited
positive memories), or control conditions. Participants completed self-report measures (T0) and repeated their assigned task condition and self-
report measures 6-8 days later (T1). Result(s): Half-longitudinal models demonstrated direct associations of (1) being in the narrating versus other
conditions with decreases in posttrauma maladaptive cognitions and negative affect, and increases in positive affect; and (2) increases in posttrauma
maladaptive cognitions and negative affect with greater PTSD symptom severity. Although, when controlling for posttrauma maladaptive cognitions and
negative/positive affect, being in the narrating versus other conditions was associated with decreases in PTSD symptom severity, these constructs did
not explain examined relations. Conclusion(s): Results suggest beneficial impacts of narrating positive memories on PTSD symptom severity (accounting
for cognitions/affect) and improved cognitions/affect, and a need to examine moderating variables (e.g., emotion regulation) in the Positive Memory-
PTSD model. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Psychological trauma: theory,
research, practice and policy., 18 :
- Year: 2021
- Problem: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art