Efficacy of Psychoeducational Group Therapy in reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among multiply traumatized women.

OBJECTIVE The role of group therapy in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been traditionally restricted to issues of self-esteem and interpersonal relationships, rather than primary symptoms of the disorder. In this study, the authors examined the effectiveness of a 16-week trauma-focused, cognitive-behavioral group therapy, named Interactive Psychoeducational Group Therapy, in reducing primary symptoms of PTSD in five groups (N=29) of multiply traumatized women diagnosed with chronic PTSD. METHOD The authors made assessments at baseline, at 1-month intervals during treatment, at termination, and at 6-month follow-up by using self-report and structured interview measures of PTSD and psychiatric symptoms. The absence of a control group limits the conclusions drawn from the study. RESULTS At termination, subjects showed significant reductions in all three clusters of PTSD symptoms (i.e., reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal) and in depressive symptoms; they showed near-significant reductions in general psychiatric and dissociative symptoms, at termination. These improvements were sustained at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The role of group therapy in PTSD treatment should not be prematurely restricted to addressing self-esteem and interpersonal dimensions only. The use of structured, cognitive-behavioral elements within the group format may allow for more targeted treatment of core symptoms of the disorder.