ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre

Objective
To explore the potential efficacy of multi-modular motion-assisted memory desensitisation and reprocessing (3MDR) in British military veterans with treatment-resistant, service-related PTSD.
 

Methods
Exploratory single-blind, randomised, parallel arm, cross-over controlled trial with nested process evaluation to assess fidelity, adherence and factors that influence outcome.
 

Background: Resettled refugees exposed to trauma and loss are at risk to develop mental disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD). Post-migration stressors have been linked to poor mental health and smaller treatment effects.

Aim: Our aim was to evaluate reductions in PTSD and PCBD symptoms and to explore the presence of post-migration stressors and their associations with symptom change and non-completion in a traumatic grief focused treatment in a cohort of refugees.

Literature suggests that the occurrence of psychological trauma (PT) fromvariousnegativelifeexperiences beyond events mentioned in the DSM-criterion A, receives little to no attention whencomorbid with psychosis. In fact, despite research indicating the intricate interplay between PTand psychosis, and the need for trauma-focused interventions (TFI), there continue to be mixedviews on whether treating PT would worsen psychosis, with many practitioners hesitating toinitiate treatment for this reason.

Background: Most people who experience a potentially traumatic event (PTE) recover on their own. A small group of individuals develops psychological complaints, but this is often not detected in time or guidance to care is suboptimal. To identify these individuals and encourage them to seek help, a web-based self-help test called Mobile Insight in Risk, Resilience, and Online Referral (MIRROR) was developed.

Highlights

• Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) cases will rise following the COVID-19 pandemic

• The pandemic shows similarities to natural disasters which increase PGD prevalence.

• The circumstances of death during the pandemic likely increase PGD prevalence.

• Evidence-based interventions for PGD should be made more accessible.

• Internet-based interventions for PGD should be further developed and disseminated.

Background: Displaced victims of interpersonal violence, such as refugees, asylum seekers, and victims of sexual exploitation, are growing in numbers and are often suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At the same time, these victims are known to benefit less from trauma-focused therapy (TFT) and to be less compliant to treatment. The objective of this paper is to describe the rationale and research protocol of an ongoing trial that aims to evaluate different variables that might influence the feasibility of TFT for the study population.

Objectives: Relatives of long-term missing persons need to deal with uncertainties related to the disappearance. These uncertainties may give rise to ruminative thinking about the causes and consequences of the loss. Focusing on tolerating uncertainties in treatment of relatives of missing persons might foster recovery. Adding mindfulness to cognitive behavioural therapy might serve this aim. The feasibility and potential effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy with mindfulness were evaluated in a pilot study.

Background: Identifying and addressing hotspots is a key element of imaginal exposure in Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD (BEPP). Research shows that treatment effectiveness is associated with focusing on these hotspots and that hotspot frequency and characteristics may serve as indicators for treatment success.

Objective: This study aims to develop a model to automatically recognize hotspots based on text and speech features, which might be an efficient way to track patient progress and predict treatment efficacy.

Background: There is a growing body of evidence to show that low-intensity self-help internet-delivered interventions are effective in the treatment of mental disorders. Despite the promising effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions, there is still a challenge for mental health services to implement internet-delivered interventions in routine health care. The aim of this study was to analyze the predictors of adherence to a self-help internet-delivered intervention for adjustment disorder.