Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, acceptability and feasibility of using modified written exposure therapy (m-WET) to treat symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Afghan adolescent girls in the aftermath of a terrorist attack.Methods120 Afghan (Hazara) adolesce...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.826633/full |
| _version_ | 1818395271119241216 |
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| author | Sayed Jafar Ahmadi Zeinab Musavi Nasratullah Samim Masooma Sadeqi Laura Jobson |
| author_facet | Sayed Jafar Ahmadi Zeinab Musavi Nasratullah Samim Masooma Sadeqi Laura Jobson |
| author_sort | Sayed Jafar Ahmadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, acceptability and feasibility of using modified written exposure therapy (m-WET) to treat symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Afghan adolescent girls in the aftermath of a terrorist attack.Methods120 Afghan (Hazara) adolescent girls who had been exposed to the Sayed al-Shuhada school terrorist attack were randomly assigned to the m-WET (n = 40), trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) (n = 40), or control groups (n = 40). m-WET involved five consecutive daily group sessions where participants simply wrote about the terrorist attack including thoughts and feelings. TF-CBT was an intensive five-session group intervention. The control group had no additional contact. The trial was undertaken at a local non-government organization in Kabul. The primary analysis was comparing PTSD symptoms (Child Revised Impact of Event Scale-13) in the three groups at post-intervention and three-month follow-up.ResultsOverall, participant and facilitator satisfaction with m-WET was high. Acceptability of m-WET was relatively high, with 15% drop-out in the m-WET group and all m-WET sessions were attended. While the groups did not differ significantly in PTSD symptoms at baseline, the m-WET group had significantly lower levels of PTSD symptoms compared to the control group at post-intervention and follow-up. There was no significant difference between the m-WET and TF-CBT groups.ConclusionThe findings suggest m-WET may be promising intervention for the treatment of PTSD among adolescent girls in humanitarian settings. Further research in the area is warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:14:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-74f48de90cd94c8ba9b24a9276be15bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:14:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-74f48de90cd94c8ba9b24a9276be15bd2022-12-21T23:14:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-04-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.826633826633Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent GirlsSayed Jafar Ahmadi0Zeinab Musavi1Nasratullah Samim2Masooma Sadeqi3Laura Jobson4Counselling Department, Psychology Faculty, Kabul Education University, Kabul, AfghanistanBehrawan Research and Psychological Services Organization, Kabul, AfghanistanBehrawan Research and Psychological Services Organization, Kabul, AfghanistanBehrawan Research and Psychological Services Organization, Kabul, AfghanistanTurner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Services, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaBackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, acceptability and feasibility of using modified written exposure therapy (m-WET) to treat symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Afghan adolescent girls in the aftermath of a terrorist attack.Methods120 Afghan (Hazara) adolescent girls who had been exposed to the Sayed al-Shuhada school terrorist attack were randomly assigned to the m-WET (n = 40), trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) (n = 40), or control groups (n = 40). m-WET involved five consecutive daily group sessions where participants simply wrote about the terrorist attack including thoughts and feelings. TF-CBT was an intensive five-session group intervention. The control group had no additional contact. The trial was undertaken at a local non-government organization in Kabul. The primary analysis was comparing PTSD symptoms (Child Revised Impact of Event Scale-13) in the three groups at post-intervention and three-month follow-up.ResultsOverall, participant and facilitator satisfaction with m-WET was high. Acceptability of m-WET was relatively high, with 15% drop-out in the m-WET group and all m-WET sessions were attended. While the groups did not differ significantly in PTSD symptoms at baseline, the m-WET group had significantly lower levels of PTSD symptoms compared to the control group at post-intervention and follow-up. There was no significant difference between the m-WET and TF-CBT groups.ConclusionThe findings suggest m-WET may be promising intervention for the treatment of PTSD among adolescent girls in humanitarian settings. Further research in the area is warranted.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.826633/fullwriting for recoverywritten exposure therapyposttraumatic stress disordercognitive behavior therapyAfghan adolescents |
| spellingShingle | Sayed Jafar Ahmadi Zeinab Musavi Nasratullah Samim Masooma Sadeqi Laura Jobson Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls Frontiers in Psychiatry writing for recovery written exposure therapy posttraumatic stress disorder cognitive behavior therapy Afghan adolescents |
| title | Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls |
| title_full | Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls |
| title_short | Investigating the Feasibility, Acceptability and Efficacy of Using Modified-Written Exposure Therapy in the Aftermath of a Terrorist Attack on Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Afghan Adolescent Girls |
| title_sort | investigating the feasibility acceptability and efficacy of using modified written exposure therapy in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among afghan adolescent girls |
| topic | writing for recovery written exposure therapy posttraumatic stress disorder cognitive behavior therapy Afghan adolescents |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.826633/full |
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