scholarly journals Feasibility of an adjunctive cognitive task in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amalia Badawi ◽  
Zachary Steel ◽  
Christopher Mahoney ◽  
David Berle
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Treatment Session ◽  
Inpatient Setting ◽  
Imaginal Exposure ◽  
Intrusive Memories ◽  
Feasibility Assessment ◽  
Formed Part

AbstractVisuospatial cognitive tasks that influence memory reconsolidation may be of benefit in reducing intrusive memories for traumatic events when used as an adjunct to trauma-focused psychotherapy. We conducted a feasibility assessment of a protocol that involved the use of a visuospatial cognitive task, the Tetris intervention, alongside routine exposure-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants were inpatients attending for PTSD treatment at a psychiatric hospital. The Tetris intervention was administered on three occasions when imaginal exposure had formed part of the treatment session. Using a phone app, participants also monitored intrusive memories over a 3-week period. Feasibility outcomes were fully met for the demand, implementation, practicality and adaptability criteria. Only a single criterion was not met for each of the acceptability and implementation criteria. Limited-efficacy testing outcomes are also discussed. Overall, the findings from our feasibility study indicated viability of the protocol, which involved implementation of the Tetris intervention alongside routine exposure-based treatment for PTSD, in a clinical inpatient setting.

Changes in intrusive memories associated with imaginal reliving in posttraumatic stress disorder

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne E.M. Speckens ◽  
Anke Ehlers ◽  
Ann Hackmann ◽  
David M. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Intrusive Memories

scholarly journals Resilience after trauma: The role of memory suppression

Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (6479) ◽  
pp. eaay8477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Mary ◽  
Jacques Dayan ◽  
Giovanni Leone ◽  
Charlotte Postel ◽  
Florence Fraisse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Control System ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Intrusive Memories ◽  
Memory Suppression ◽  
Traumatic Memories ◽  
Memory Control

In the aftermath of trauma, little is known about why the unwanted and unbidden recollection of traumatic memories persists in some individuals but not others. We implemented neutral and inoffensive intrusive memories in the laboratory in a group of 102 individuals exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 73 nonexposed individuals, who were not in Paris during the attacks. While reexperiencing these intrusive memories, nonexposed individuals and exposed individuals without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could adaptively suppress memory activity, but exposed individuals with PTSD could not. These findings suggest that the capacity to suppress memory is central to positive posttraumatic adaptation. A generalized disruption of the memory control system could explain the maladaptive and unsuccessful suppression attempts often seen in PTSD, and this disruption should be targeted by specific treatments.

Threat Appraisals, Neuroticism, and Intrusive Memories: A Robust Mediational Approach with Replication

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony D Mancini ◽  
Laura Aldrich ◽  
Alina Shevorykin ◽  
Serena Veith ◽  
Grace John
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Causal Effects ◽  
Experimental Paradigm ◽  
Total N ◽  
Intrusive Memories ◽  
Threat Appraisals

Background: The appraisal of a stressor influences how we adapt to it. We used an experimental paradigm to test and replicate the effects of threat appraisals on subsequent intrusive memories, as well as their moderation by neuroticism. Method: In three studies (total N = 562; 77.6% female; mean age = 18.45), we randomly assigned participants to an aversive or control video, assessed threat appraisals of the video, and assessed intrusive memories of the video at one, three, five, and seven days. Results: Using a robust causal mediational framework, we found that threat appraisals fully mediated the effect of the video on intrusive memories (studies 1 – 3), and for people higher in neuroticism, the causal mediational pathway was stronger (study 1 and 2). Conclusions: These findings indicate threat appraisals have causal effects on subsequent intrusive memories and neuroticism enhances this effect, lending empirical support to appraisal theories of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Intrusive Memories and Modality-Specific Mental Imagery in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

2010 ◽  
Vol 218 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Jelinek ◽  
Sarah Randjbar ◽  
Michael Kellner ◽  
Angnes Untiedt ◽  
Jana Volkert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Imagery ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Intrusive Memories ◽  
The Impact

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by vivid intrusive memories of the trauma. Among these, visual sensations of the trauma are most commonly reported. However, intrusions may involve other senses as well (e.g., acoustic, olfactory, or bodily sensations). It has been proposed that enhanced mental imagery may predispose individuals with traumatic experiences to intrusions and ultimately to PTSD. A total of 58 victims of interpersonal violence with current (n = 20), past (n = 19), and no lifetime PTSD (n = 19) as well as non-traumatized controls (n = 23) were assessed with the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) and a modality-specific imagery questionnaire. Moreover, the sensory quality of the traumatic intrusions was assessed in traumatized participants. Participants with recovered PTSD displayed less overall mental imagery than the other three groups who were indistinguishable. No relation was found between the modality-specific mental imagery and the sensory quality of the intrusions. The impact of mental imagery on intrusive memories in PTSD is complex. Less mental imagery appears beneficial in the recovery process, but does not prevent the development of intrusive symptoms in the first place. Further investigation of perceptual and memory vividness as well imagery control (i.e., to sustain, modify, or terminate an image) also including trauma-related material may be important for trauma-specific interventions.

Comparative Efficiency of EMDR and Prolonged Exposure in Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-12
Author(s):  
Tracy M. McGuire Stanbury ◽  
Peter D. Drummond ◽  
Jonathan Laugharne ◽  
Claire Kullack ◽  
Christopher W. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Exposure Time ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Treatment Session ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Total Exposure ◽  
Traumatic Memories ◽  
Total Exposure Time

The comparative treatment efficiency of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was tested for 20 participants diagnosed with PTSD. Efficiency was operationalized as the total exposure time to traumatic memories during and between sessions; the number of trauma memories processed over the course of therapy; how many sessions were required to resolve the primary trauma; and lower subjective units of disturbance (SUD) levels after the initial treatment session. Participants were randomized to each condition and received 12 90-minute sessions of therapy over 6 weeks. Symptoms were assessed by treatment-blind assessors at posttreatment, and at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Results demonstrated a significant decrease in symptoms posttreatment for PTSD (d = .64), depression (d = .46), anxiety (d = .52) and stress (d = .57) for both groups, which was maintained at 3 months. At 6 months there was a small increase in symptoms compared to the 3-month time point on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) but no significant change in any self-report symptoms EMDR was significantly more efficient than PE. EMDR participants had less total exposure time to traumatic memories when homework hours were included (d = .66), reported lower SUD scores after the first session (d = .45), required fewer sessions for the target memory to decrease to near zero distress levels (d = .84), and processed more traumatic memories.

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