Interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder in psychiatric practice across Europe: a trainees’ perspective

Background: With an annual prevalence of 0.9–2.6%, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is very common in clinical practice across Europe. Despite the fact that evidence-based interventions have been developed, there is no evidence on their implementation in clinical practice and in national psychiatric training programmes.
Objective and method: The Early Career Psychiatrists Committee of the European Psychiatric Association conducted a survey in 23 European countries to explore implementation of evidence-based interventions for PTSD and training options.

Factor structure of the Parent Emotional Reaction Questionnaire: analysis and validation

Background: Although many children experience violence and abuse each year, there is a lack of instruments measuring parents’ emotional reactions to these events. One instrument, the Parent Emotional Reaction Questionnaire (PERQ), allows researchers and clinicians to survey a broad spectrum of parents’ feelings directly related to their children’s traumatic experiences.

Therapist and client perspectives on the alliance in the treatment of traumatized adolescents

Objective: Client ratings of the therapeutic alliance are an important predictor of outcome in the treatment of traumatized adolescents and adults, but less is known about the therapists’ perspective. The aim of this study was to investigate how therapists’ ratings relate to the adolescents’ perspective, how individual therapist and adolescent ratings relate to change in symptoms and treatment satisfaction, and whether discrepant alliance perspectives impact treatment outcome.

Enhanced screening for posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid diagnoses in children and adolescents

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a debilitating disorder and often co-occurs with other psychiatric disorders, such as mood, behavioral, and anxiety disorders. Early identification of PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity is highly relevant in order to offer children appropriate and timely treatment. The Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13) is a reliable and valid self-report measure designed to screen children for PTSD. However, this measure is not useful as a screen for psychiatric comorbidity in children with probable PTSD.

The influence of shame on posttrauma disorders: have we failed to see the obvious?

Background: While fear is known to be the dominant affect associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the presence and possible influence of other emotions is less well explored. Recent changes to diagnostic criteria have added anger, guilt and shame alongside fear as significant emotional states associated with the disorder. This article suggests that shame is a frequent, often poorly recognised sequel to trauma, occurring as a result of the meaning the individual places on the traumatic experience and on subsequent interpersonal and environmental events.

Response to psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: the role of pretreatment verbal memory performance

Objective: Neuropsychological studies have consistently demonstrated impaired verbal memory in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma-focused treatment for PTSD is thought to rely on memory, but it is largely unknown whether treatment outcome is influenced by memory performance. The aim of the study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between verbal memory performance and treatment response to trauma-focused psychotherapy.

Dexamethasone-suppressed cortisol awakening response predicts treatment outcome in posttraumatic stress disorder

Background
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with several alterations in the neuroendocrine system, including enhanced cortisol suppression in response to the dexamethasone suppression test. The aim of this study was to examine whether specific biomarkers of PTSD predict treatment success in trauma-focused psychotherapy.
Methods

The role of early pharmacotherapy in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms after traumatic injury: An observational cohort study in consecutive patients

Objective
Pharmacological intervention during traumatic memory consolidation has been suggested to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of this study was to examine the association between prescription of early pharmacotherapy and the risk of developing PTSD symptoms following traumatic injury.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy versus stabilisation as usual with refugees: randomised controlled trial

Dit onderzoek richt zich op de vraag of het toepassen van EMDR bij vluchtelingen met PTSS zonder voorafgaande stabilisatiefase veilig en effectief is.

Longitudinal measures of hostility in deployed military personnel

Increases in anger and hostility are commonly found after military deployment. However, it is unknown how anger and hostility develop over time, and which veterans are more at risk for developing these complaints. Data of 745 veterans one month before deployment to Afghanistan and one, six, twelve and 24 months after deployment were analyzed in a growth model. Growth mixture modeling revealed four classes based on their growth in hostility. Most of the participants belonged to a low-hostile group or a mild-hostile group that remained stable over time.

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