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The development of group CBT for the treatment ofroad-traffic-accident-related post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2010

Andrew R. Thompson ,
Eamonn Wilde  and
Katherine Boon
Andrew R. Thompson*
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
Eamonn Wilde
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Health Care, Barnsley NHS Primary Care Trust, Keresforth Centre, Barnsley, UK
Katherine Boon
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
*
*Author for correspondence: Dr A. R. Thompson,Clinical Psychology Unit, Department ofPsychology, University of Sheffield,Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP,UK. (email: a.r.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk)
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Abstract

Individually focused CBT for road traffic accident (RTA)-related post-traumatic stressdisorder (PTSD) involving exposure and cognitive restructuring has been shown to beeffective. Group CBT interventions provide an opportunity for treatment to be delivered ina cost-effective fashion and may also be ‘normalizing’ for patients,but few evaluations have been published. Many elements of CBT lend themselves well togroup presentation, although implementing exposure presents a specific problem. Thedevelopment and preliminary evaluation of a group (n = 6) targetingRTA-related PTSD is described here. Pre- and post-questionnaire evaluation is accompaniedby assessment of patient satisfaction. Four of the group no longer met diagnostic criteriaand the remaining two showed clinically significant change in both the number and severityof symptoms. In addition symptoms of depression decreased from the severe to the mildrange within the group and there were high levels of participant satisfaction reported.Further research is required to evaluate this and similar packages before group treatmentcan be advocated as an alternative to individual CBT for PTSD.

Keywords

CBTgroup therapymotor vehicle accidentpost-traumatic stress disorderroad traffic accident

Information

Type
Original Research
Information
the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 32 - 42
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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References

Recommended follow-up reading

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