Wells A, Sembi S. Metacognitive therapy for PTSD: a preliminary investigation of a new brief treatment.
J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2004;
35:307-18. [PMID:
15530845 DOI:
10.1016/j.jbtep.2004.07.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2003] [Revised: 06/21/2004] [Accepted: 07/09/2004] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The effectiveness of a new treatment for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is addressed. Treatment was based on a metacognitive theory of mechanisms by which natural traumatic processing is enabled or hindered by coping strategies. It suggests that elimination of worry/rumination, of maladaptive attention strategies, and enhancing metacognitive flexibility, will permit natural processing and a return to normal cognition. An A-B direct replication series (n = 6) with follow-up assessments at 3, 6, and 18-41 months was implemented. Treatment commenced 3-10 months post-trauma. All patients showed large and statistically significant improvements in general emotion and specific PTSD measures. Gains were maintained at follow-up. Two further consecutively referred patients were treated at 8 and 12 months post-trauma to add to sample size (n = 8). Overall Post treatment effect sizes were large, ranging from 3.0 to 5.0. Further evaluations are clearly warranted.
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