Effectiveness of three brief treatments for recent traumatic events in a low-SES community setting
Description
Objective:
To determine whether brief treatments provide psychological relief after traumatic events in low-resource communities.
Method:
Participants (n 105) who had experienced a traumatic event within the past 6 months were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 4-session treatments: individual eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), group-administered stress management with a trauma focus (SMT), or group-administered psychological first aid (PFA). Measures administered pretreatment and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month posttreatment included posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, posttraumatic cognitions (PTCI), and depressive symptoms (BDI).
Results:
The 3 treatment groups all showed significant declines in PTSD, PTCI, and BDI symptoms over time with large prepost effect sizes (median 1-month: 0.96, 3-month: 1.38, 6-month: 1.10). However, the treatment groups showed significantly different rates of decline, with the EMDR group showing the fastest declines— interaction PTCI: F(1, 237) 5.85, p .016; depression:, F(1, 239) 4.90, p .028—followed by the SMT and then PFA group. While there were significant differences between the EMDR and PFA groups at the 1- and 3-month follow-ups, there were no significant differences in any of the 3 outcome measures at the 6-month follow-up, nor were there significant differences between groups on PTSD symptoms, F(1, 239) 2.30, p .131.
Conclusion:
This study provides preliminary evidence that any of these 3 approaches may be useful in low-resource community settings. Because it gives the quickest relief, EMDR is the preferred approach, followed by SMT, due its ease of administration. PFA provides a reasonable alternative. Where possible, booster sessions should be planned.
To determine whether brief treatments provide psychological relief after traumatic events in low-resource communities.
Method:
Participants (n 105) who had experienced a traumatic event within the past 6 months were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 4-session treatments: individual eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), group-administered stress management with a trauma focus (SMT), or group-administered psychological first aid (PFA). Measures administered pretreatment and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month posttreatment included posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, posttraumatic cognitions (PTCI), and depressive symptoms (BDI).
Results:
The 3 treatment groups all showed significant declines in PTSD, PTCI, and BDI symptoms over time with large prepost effect sizes (median 1-month: 0.96, 3-month: 1.38, 6-month: 1.10). However, the treatment groups showed significantly different rates of decline, with the EMDR group showing the fastest declines— interaction PTCI: F(1, 237) 5.85, p .016; depression:, F(1, 239) 4.90, p .028—followed by the SMT and then PFA group. While there were significant differences between the EMDR and PFA groups at the 1- and 3-month follow-ups, there were no significant differences in any of the 3 outcome measures at the 6-month follow-up, nor were there significant differences between groups on PTSD symptoms, F(1, 239) 2.30, p .131.
Conclusion:
This study provides preliminary evidence that any of these 3 approaches may be useful in low-resource community settings. Because it gives the quickest relief, EMDR is the preferred approach, followed by SMT, due its ease of administration. PFA provides a reasonable alternative. Where possible, booster sessions should be planned.
Format
Journal
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Ironson, G., Hylton, E., Gonzalez, B., Small, B., Freund, B., Gerstain, M., Thurston, F., & Bira, L. (2021). Effectiveness of three brief treatments for recent traumatic events in a low-SES community setting. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 13(1), 123–132. doi:10.1037/tra0000594
Citation
“Effectiveness of three brief treatments for recent traumatic events in a low-SES community setting,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 17, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/26687.