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Effectiveness of short‐term specialized inpatient treatment for war‐related posttraumatic stress disorder: A role for adventure‐based counseling and psychodrama
Author(s) -
Ragsdale Kim G.,
Cox Robert D.,
Finn Penny,
Eisler Richard M.
Publication year - 1996
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.2490090209
Subject(s) - psychology , anger , clinical psychology , shame , anxiety , group psychotherapy , feeling , psychiatry , treatment and control groups , loneliness , psychodrama , posttraumatic stress , psychotherapist , medicine , pathology , social psychology
Psychological tests were administered to 24 participants of an inpatient posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment program both immediately before and following completion of treatment. Responses were compared to a treatment/wait list comparison group composed of 24 subjects awaiting entry into the program. All treatment/wait list comparison group subjects received weekly PTSD outpatient group therapy. Significant improvements were found in the inpatient treatment group in areas of hopelessness, feelings of guilt and shame, loneliness, and emotional expressiveness. Other indices of psychological functioning, including interpersonal skills, gender role stress, anxiety, anger, and PTSD symptomatology did not change significantly in response to treatment. No positive changes in any area of psychological function occurred in the treatment/wait list comparison group. Implications for treatment of PTSD and areas of future research are discussed.