The efficacy of autobiographical memory specificity training (MEST) on post-traumatic stress symptoms in veterans with post traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Introduction: One of the problem in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder is desire to recall the subject of trauma and also difficult in retrieval specified memories. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of autobiographical memory specificity training on post-traumatic stress symptoms in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder in Isfahan. Method: This study was a quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test and follow up along with the control group. The population was hospitalized veterans in Rajaee hospital of Isfahan in 2017. 30 patients suffering from PTSD were selected through convenience sampling method and assigned randomly to two groups of experimental and control. The measure of study was post-traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL). First, the pre-test was conducted in two groups, then experimental group (n=15) was trained for 7 two- hours sessions in group according to autobiographical memory specificity training (MEST). After training post-test were taken from both groups. Data were analyzed by covariance method. Results: The results showed that experimental group that have received autobiographical memory specificity training, have less post-traumatic stress symptoms than control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of the study, autobiographical memory specificity training(MEST) can be used as an important intervention in the prevention and treatment of post- traumatic stress symptoms along with current treatments.

Keywords

• specificity training
• autobiographical memory
• post-traumatic stress
• veterans