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Inpatient treatment for war‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder: Initial findings on a longer‐term outcome study
Author(s) -
Scurfield Raymond M.,
Kenderdine Shawn K.,
Pollard Richard J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.2490030203
Subject(s) - traumatic stress , clinical psychology , psychology , checklist , psychiatry , arousal , interpersonal relationship , interpersonal communication , medicine , social psychology , neuroscience , cognitive psychology
Symptom checklists and a follow‐up questionnaire were mailed to the first 180 graduates of an inpatient Post Traumatic Stress Treatment program. Eighty‐six of the 180 responded to the survey. Their responses were compared to measures obtained on them while they were inpatients at the treatment program. Significant differences were found on one symptom checklist, while positive trends toward symptom reduction were noted on another. Demographic characteristics of the respondents were dicusssed, as were responses to open‐ended questions regarding in what ways the program helped most and least. Changes in a positive direction were noted in the area of self‐esteem, interpersonal relationships, and symptoms of numbing and arousal. PTSD‐related intrusive symptoms had the least clear‐cut improvement. Implications of these findings for inpatient treatment and aftercare are reviewed, with suggestions for future applied research.