The experiences of clinical psychologists in treating traumatic stress at a tertiary psychiatric hospital in the Eastern Cape: A qualitative study

Qualitative data on the experiences of treating Post-traumatic stress disorder in apsychiatric setting in a low-resource context is sparse. We aimed to explore the livedexperiences of clinical psychologists who treat patients who are either trauma survivorsor perpetrators in a psychiatric hospital. A total of six individual semi-structuredinterviews and follow-up interviews were conducted with three clinical psychologistsbased at a psychiatric hospital in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Data were analysedusing Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. All participants reported experiencingsymptoms of vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress while treating bothvictims and perpetrators of violence. The findings also revealed an element of danger,as well as socio-political factors that clinical psychologists experience. Participantsfurther reported experiencing vicarious post-traumatic growth, enhanced by theircoping strategies, while providing psychological services to traumatised patients.

The association between body mass index and recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder after the nuclear accident in Fukushima

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84644-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Masato Nagai ◽

Tetsuya Ohira ◽

Masaharu Maeda ◽

Seiji Yasumura ◽

Itaru Miura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Error Variance ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity share common risk factors; however, the effect of obesity on recovery from PTSD has not been assessed. We examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and recovery from PTSD after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We analyzed 4356 men and women with probable PTSD aged ≥ 16 years who were living in evacuation zones owing to the radiation accident in Fukushima, Japan. Recovery from probable PTSD was defined as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-specific scores < 44. Using Poisson regression with robust error variance adjusted for confounders, we compared the prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for this outcome in 2013 and 2014. Compared with point estimates for normal weight (BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), especially in 2013, those for underweight (BMI: < 18.5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI: ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) tended to slightly increase and decrease, respectively, for recovery from probable PTSD. The multivariate-adjusted PRs (95% CIs) for underweight and obesity were 1.08 (0.88–1.33) and 0.85 (0.68–1.06), respectively, in 2013 and 1.02 (0.82–1.26) and 0.87 (0.69–1.09), respectively, in 2014. The results of the present study showed that obesity may be a useful predictor for probable PTSD recovery. Obese victims with PTSD would require more intensive support and careful follow-up for recovery.

Treatment of adult post-traumatic stress disorder using a future-oriented writing therapy approach

The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist ◽

10.1017/s1754470x09990171 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 243-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Reginald D. V. Nixon ◽

Leonard W. Kling

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Stress ◽

Expressive Writing ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Future Research ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Ptsd Severity

AbstractThe aim of this pilot study was to test whether a future-oriented expressive writing intervention is able to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity and associated symptoms such as depression and unhelpful trauma-related beliefs. In an uncontrolled pre-/ post-design participants attended 8 weeks of manualized therapy. Assessment was undertaken pre- and post-treatment, and participants also completed a 3-month follow-up assessment. Of the 17 participants who began therapy, 13 were treatment completers. Results indicated a significant decrease in PTSD severity, depression and unhelpful trauma-related cognitions from pre- to post-treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Clinically meaningful change was more modest; however, three participants reported PTSD remission at 3-month follow-up. It is concluded that expressive writing with a focus on achieving future goals and personal change may have some utility in reducing post-traumatic stress but future research will need to investigate this with greater methodological rigour before firm conclusions can be made.

Author response for "Burnout, depersonalization, and anxiety contribute to post‐traumatic stress in frontline health workers at COVID‐19 patient care, a follow‐up study"

10.1002/brb3.2007/v2/response1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

José Adán Miguel‐Puga ◽

Davis Cooper‐Bribiesca ◽

Francisco José Avelar‐Garnica ◽

Luis Alejandro Sanchez‐Hurtado ◽

Tania Colin‐Martínez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Patient Care ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Health Workers ◽

Author Response ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Frontline Health Workers ◽

Review for "Burnout, depersonalization, and anxiety contribute to post‐traumatic stress in frontline health workers at COVID‐19 patient care, a follow‐up study"

10.1002/brb3.2007/v1/review2 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Patient Care ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Health Workers ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Frontline Health Workers ◽

Randomized Clinical Trial of Telephone-Administered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Distress Symptoms After Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2009.26.8722 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 28 (23) ◽

pp. 3754-3761 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

Katherine N. DuHamel ◽

Catherine E. Mosher ◽

Gary Winkel ◽

Larissa E. Labay ◽

Christine Rini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Stress ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

General Distress ◽

Distress Symptoms ◽

Purpose A significant number of survivors of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) report enduring adverse effects of treatment, including illness-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and general distress. We report results of a randomized clinical trial that tested the effects of a 10-session, telephone-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention on PTSD, depression, and distress symptoms. Methods Survivors who had undergone HSCT 1 to 3 years earlier (N = 408) were assessed for study eligibility. Those who met study eligibility criteria (n = 89) completed a baseline assessment that included a clinical interview and self-report measures of PTSD symptoms (the primary outcome) and depression and general distress (the secondary outcomes). Next, they were randomly assigned to CBT or an assessment-only condition. Survivors in the CBT group completed 10 individual telephone-based CBT sessions (T-CBT) that included strategies to reduce PTSD symptoms, depression, and general distress. Follow-up assessments occurred at 6, 9, and 12 months after the baseline assessment. Results Linear mixed-model analyses revealed that, compared with HSCT survivors in the assessment-only condition, survivors who completed T-CBT reported fewer illness-related PTSD symptoms, including less avoidance (P < .001) and fewer intrusive thoughts (P < .05) as well as less general distress and fewer depressive symptoms (P < .05) even after controlling for potential demographic and medical covariates. These results were consistent across the three follow-up assessments. Conclusion A brief, telephone-administered CBT intervention developed for HSCT survivors is an efficacious treatment for reducing illness-related PTSD symptoms and general distress.

Mediating role of post-traumatic stress disorder in post-traumatic growth in adults who experienced the 2017 Pohang earthquake

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.162 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 263 ◽

pp. 246-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Heeju Seo ◽

Ogcheol Lee

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Post Traumatic Growth ◽

Relationships among Trait Resilience, Virtues, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Post-traumatic Growth

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0125707 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. e0125707 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Wenjie Duan ◽

Pengfei Guo ◽

Pei Gan

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Post Traumatic Growth ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Trait Resilience

Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720000070 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 542-555 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ifigeneia Mavranezouli ◽

Odette Megnin-Viggars ◽

Caitlin Daly ◽

Sofia Dias ◽

Nicky J. Welton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Psychological Treatments ◽

Self Help ◽

Remission Rates ◽

AbstractBackgroundPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potentially chronic and disabling disorder affecting a significant minority of people exposed to trauma. Various psychological treatments have been shown to be effective, but their relative effects are not well established.MethodsWe undertook a systematic review and network meta-analyses of psychological interventions for adults with PTSD. Outcomes included PTSD symptom change scores post-treatment and at 1–4-month follow-up, and remission post-treatment.ResultsWe included 90 trials, 6560 individuals and 22 interventions. Evidence was of moderate-to-low quality. Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) [standardised mean difference (SMD) −2.07; 95% credible interval (CrI) −2.70 to −1.44], combined somatic/cognitive therapies (SMD −1.69; 95% CrI −2.66 to −0.73), trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) (SMD −1.46; 95% CrI −1.87 to −1.05) and self-help with support (SMD −1.46; 95% CrI −2.33 to −0.59) appeared to be most effective at reducing PTSD symptoms post-treatment v. waitlist, followed by non-TF-CBT, TF-CBT combined with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), SSRIs, self-help without support and counselling. EMDR and TF-CBT showed sustained effects at 1–4-month follow-up. EMDR, TF-CBT, self-help with support and counselling improved remission rates post-treatment. Results for other interventions were either inconclusive or based on limited evidence.ConclusionsEMDR and TF-CBT appear to be most effective at reducing symptoms and improving remission rates in adults with PTSD. They are also effective at sustaining symptom improvements beyond treatment endpoint. Further research needs to explore the long-term comparative effectiveness of psychological therapies for adults with PTSD and also the impact of severity and complexity of PTSD on treatment outcomes.

Prior disclosure and emotional expression: Interactive effects on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms

The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine ◽

10.1177/0091217417749790 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 189-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yung Y Chen ◽

Min C Kao

Keyword(s):

Emotional Expression ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Trauma Processing ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Religious Trauma

Background Previous research has revealed mixed findings with regard to the effects of disclosure on trauma recovery. More recently, studies on psychological trauma have found associations among religion, meaning, and health. This study investigated prior disclosure as a moderator for the association between religious emotional expression and adaptive trauma processing, as measured by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods Using Pennebaker’s written emotional expression paradigm, 105 participants were assigned to either a conventional trauma-writing condition or religious trauma-writing condition. PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline and again at one-month post writing. Results A two-way interaction was found between prior disclosure and writing condition on PTSD symptoms at follow-up. For the religious trauma-writing condition only, there was a significant difference between low versus high disclosure participants in PTSD symptoms at follow-up, such that low prior disclosure participants registered fewer PTSD symptoms than high prior disclosure participants, while prior disclosure did not have such effect in the conventional trauma-writing condition. Limitations: This two-way interaction may be further qualified by other important psychosocial variables, such as differences in personality, coping style, social support, or use of prayer as a form of disclosure, which were not assessed in this study. Conclusion Religious emotional expression may encourage adaptive trauma processing, especially for individuals with low prior disclosure. These findings encourage further investigation of the conditions under which disclosure and religion may be a beneficial factor in trauma adaptation and treatment.