Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on the Reduction of Pathological Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adolescents

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) on the reduction of the pathological symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adolescents. Methods: To do so, a total of 12 adolescents with PTSD were selected from one of the quake-stricken cities of eastern Azarbaijan, Heris, based on their scores in the Impact of Event Scale- Revised (IES-R) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and divided into the experimental and control group randomly. The experimental group participated in 10-session CBT, while there was no intervention into the control group. The instruments included IES-R and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale that were completed by the participants in pre-test, post-test, & follow-up. Results: Analyzing data with mixed ANOVA indicated that CBT has significant effects on the reduction of pathological symptoms of PTSD in all aspects. Conclusion: These results not only confirm the previous findings about CBT effectiveness on symptoms of PTSD, but also emphasize the importance of early interventions in crises to prevent the maintenance of the negative consequences of experiencing traumas, especially in young age groups.

Keywords

• Adolescents
• Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder