The efficacy of psychotherapy in reducing post-psychotic trauma

There is now growing evidence to suggest that the experience of psychosis may be so traumatic for some that it can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-type symptoms or post-psychotic trauma symptoms (PPTS). There is, however, less knowledge about what psychological interventions may be helpful in reducing these symptoms. Evidence from the literature, to date, suggests that of the seven studies that have addressed this issue only four were randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

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The battle within: understanding the physiology of war-zone stress exposure

Faced with pervasive loss, life threat, and moral conflict in the field of battle, the human body and brain adapt to extraordinary circumstances in extraordinary ways. These adaptations come at a high price, and many men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are paying that price every day.

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The comparative effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy for male veterans treated in a VHA posttraumatic stress disorder residential rehabilitation program

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of group cognitive processing therapy (CPT) relative to trauma-focused group treatment as usual (TAU) in the context of a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) residential rehabilitation program. Method: Participants were 2 cohorts of male patients in the same program treated with either CPT (n = 104) or TAU (n = 93, prior to the implementation of CPT).

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The complexity of complex PTSD

“This study represents the first demonstration that preparing these patients with specific training in emotion regulation skills has an additive gain over standard CBT.”

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The destiny of an unacknowledged trauma: the deferred retroactive effect of après-coup in the hidden jewish children of wartime Belgium

For almost 45 years, the experience of Jewish children who were hidden during World War II was considered to be of little importance, particularly with respect to what had taken place in the concentration camps. Their very history was ignored in the many accounts of the Holocaust. It was only at the end of the 1980s that their experience began to be thought of as potentially traumatic.

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Systemic vulnerabilities to suicide among veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts: review of case reports from a national veterans affairs database

While suicide among recently returned veterans is of great concern, it is a relatively rare occurrence within individual hospitals and clinics. Root cause analysis (RCA) generates a detailed case report that can be used to identify system-based vulnerabilities following an adverse event. Review of a national database of RCA reports may identify common vulnerabilities and assist in the development of more robust prevention strategies.

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Suicide death and hospital-treated suicidal behaviour in asylum seekers in the Netherlands: a national registry-based study/ S. Goosen [et al.]

AbstractBackgroundBeing an immigrant in a high-income country is a risk factor for severe mental ill health. Studies on mental ill health among immigrants have found significant differences in mental health outcome between immigrants from high income countries and low-income countries. Being an asylum seeker or a refugee is also associated with mental ill health.

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Supporting children after single-incident trauma: Parents' views

AbstractObjective. To strengthen trauma-informed health care by exploring parents’ experiences of assisting their child after single-incident trauma (eg, violence, accidents, and sudden loss). Method. Semistructured interviews with parents (N = 33) of 25 exposed children (8-12 years). Results. Responsive parenting after trauma emerged as a core theme, consisting of (a) being aware of a child’s needs and (b) acting on these needs. The authors identified 14 strategies, such as comparing behavior with siblings’ behavior and providing opportunities to talk.

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Stabilisierung in der Traumatherapie. Eine Standortbestimmung = Stabilization in Trauma Therapy-The state of the art

Zusammenfassung:Stabilität ist ein allgemeines Thema der Heilkunde und Heilkunst. Jeder Arzt ist verpflichtet, sich vor einem Eingriff zu vergewissern, dass der Patient stabil genug dafür ist. Der entscheidende Begriff ist also nicht Stabilisierung, sondern Stabilität. In diesem Beitrag werden die historischen Hintergründe in der Auseinandersetzung mit Konzepten der Stabilisierung und Konfrontation beschrieben. Anhand von zwei Fallbeispielen wird erläutert, wo allzu rasche Konfrontation an ihre Grenzen stößt.

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Stigma, negative attitudes about treatment, and utilization of mental health care among soldiers

Stigma and organizational barriers have been identified as factors for why a small proportion of soldiers with psychological problems seek professional help. In this article, we examine the impact of negative attitudes toward treatment on treatment seeking among soldiers previously deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq (n = 2,623). We asked soldiers with psychological problems questions about stigma, organizational barriers, negative attitudes toward treatment, and whether they sought treatment for their psychological problems.

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