Numerical distraction therapy:  Initial assessment of a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder

The efficacy of a new therapy, numerical distraction therapy (NDT), in treating symptoms of PTSD was investigated. It was hypothesized that the therapy would change the traumatic visual memories of PTSD patients and reduce the intensity of negative feelings associated with them. Both hypotheses were supported: 92% of patients reported post-treatment (positive) changes in their visual memories, and these same patients reported diminished levels of fear, shame, anxiety, and other negative feelings. A subsample of patients reported stable treatment effects in follow-up surveys conducted two to four months later. The author also discusses possible mechanisms of NDT and suggests that NDT, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and some forms of thought field therapy (TFT) might have "dual attention" as a common underlying mechanism.

Journal

English

John S. Isaacs

Isaacs, J. S. (2004, March). Numerical distraction therapy: Initial assessment of a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Traumatology, 10(1), 39-54. doi:10.1177/153476560401000104